Salad of fennel, chicory and orange

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 bulb/s of fennel, approx. 400 to 500 g
• 1 large orange(s), sweet
• 1 chicory
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp honey (generous)
• 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar, white or elderflower vinegar, white
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch(s) pepper, freshly ground
• 1 bunch dill, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp walnuts, chopped or toasted pine nuts

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

lukewarm and light salad with a sweet-bitter note

Preparations: First, wash and trim the fennel. Save the green leaves and set aside. Now, starting at the base of the stem, cut the entire bulb into very fine strips (1 mm). Cut off the tops of the oranges on both sides (stem and blossom). Place the orange on one of its cut sides and use a sharp knife to slice off the peel, including the white underside. Cut the orange into thin slices and quarter the slices, reserving as much of the juice as possible. Trim the chicory, halve it, and slice it thinly. You can serve the salad with either walnuts or pine nuts (my favorite). Toast the walnuts (roughly chopped) or pine nuts with a few drops of olive oil in a medium-hot pan for 5 minutes, turning frequently, and set aside. For garnish, finely chop the dill and fennel leaves. Preparation: Melt the butter and honey in a pan over 3/4 heat, reduce to medium heat, and sauté the fennel for about 5 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper. Stir frequently. Remove from the heat after at most 5 minutes and let cool. As soon as you can safely touch the pan with your hand, add the orange and chicory. Add the vinegar and stir in thoroughly. Let cool until lukewarm. Now arrange the salad in the pan or on a platter. Sprinkle with the walnuts or pine nuts (or both, why not?) and scatter the dill and fennel leaves over the top. If you like, you can also add a little fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper. Done. This salad has it all: sweetness, acidity, and bitterness. It’s a dream for me. I prefer the salad lukewarm, but the flavors also come through well cold.