Orange-Cranberry-Fennel Winter Salad with Caper Dijon Dressing

Image

Posted on by

“Cheers to the new year and another chance for us to get it right.” Oprah Winfrey

January is for many of us a time of healthier eating.  This salad is a little different with seasonal oranges, cranberries and fennel in a terrifc vinaigrette made with orange juice and capers.   It is rich with texture and layers of flavor.  Dig in!

Caper-Dijon Dressing

  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice(I squeezed 1 Cara Cara orange)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil(I used a Meyer lemon infused one)
  • 2 tablespoons of finely diced shallots
  • 1 tablespoon of orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons of capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
  • freshly ground pepper
  • salt to taste(capers and Dijon will provide saltiness so be sure to taste test)

Place all ingredients in a small jar. Shake to mix well.  Reserve until ready to toss the salad.

Salad:

  • 2 heads of Bibb lettuce, torn
  • 1 cup of thinly sliced fennel bulb(I used a mandoline)
  • 1 tablespoon of fennel fronds, chopped
  • 2 Cara Cara oranges, peeled, pith removed and thinly sliced(I used a mandoline)
  • 1 avocado, pit and skin removed, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup  dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup of blue cheese crumbles
  • 1/4 cup of sliced almonds, toasted

Assembly:

In a large shallow bowl, spread the Bibb lettuce.  Top with orange slices, then sliced fennel and avocado.  Sprinkle the blue cheese across the top, dot with the cranberries and finish with the almonds and chopped fennel fronds.  When ready to eat, toss with caper-Dijon vinaigrette.

“New Beginnings”, oil/cold wax on canvas, 2018, Johanne Lamarche