F is for Fennel

Although winter in Northern California isn't nearly as harsh as I'm used to (highs in the 60s today), the lack of summer produce can leave me a little glum.  There are tomatoes in the grocery stores, but they are flavorless mealy insults to summer's bounty.  I avoid them.  And when the days are shorter and dinner needs to be on the table before bedtime (which is more of a struggle than I'd like to admit), I'm always in need of dishes that are easy to prepare and take little time to cook. So when reaching for produce to snazz up a salad, I'm drawn to the heartier vegetables, ones that will provide ample crunch to brighten winter's drab.  Fennel.  Cue my mandolin and paring knife and within fifteen minutes dinner is almost done.  The brilliance of kitchen tools!  Fennel is to February as peaches are to July, worthy of a celebration.

This versatile bulb can be braised, roasted, caramelized, and pickled, but in this salad I thinly slice it raw.  The fronds add an intense anise flavor and bring a real perkiness to the composition.  If you can find blood oranges, I'd highly suggest paying the extra buck.  Not only are they stunning, but their taste is sweet and juicy, playing nicely with the shaved fennel and red onion.  Don't skimp on the olives - the black cerignolas are an amazing addition.  I discovered them fairly recently and cannot get enough of their almost sweet meat and smooth texture.  Unlike most olives, they aren't overly salty and are a bit denser.  Try them.  You will love them.  You will eat them by the handful. 

But really, what makes this salad is the spice.  Ras el hanout is a blend of spices from Morocco that can be found at specialty food stores.  There isn't a definitive combination of spices, but most include clove, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, coriander, pepper, etc.  Usually it has a bit of a smoky kick, and it just so happens to work wonders with orange juice.  I have to give full credit for this salad to a regular from Smith and Vine - George, a fabulous chef and a huge personality, who divulged the secret of ras el hanout and oranges and cerignola olives to me one day.  He suggested serving the salad as a bed for simply cooked cod, which is exactly what I did.  February is for fennel.

This dish was elegant, flavorful, and a definite star for the year.  With it we drank Louis Metaireau's 2009 Cuvee One.  Aged Muscadet from the Loire Valley.  Muscadet, aka Melon de Borgogne, best known for it's chalky minerality and excellence with oysters, is one of my favorite grapes.  I love that it is exceptionally refreshing, unusual, and always affordable.  A wonder grape.  Metaireau is the all-star producer, and his older vintages have taken on a subtle herbal richness that compliments the limestone and prickle and fresh acidity.  Next time you're in the seafood kind of mood, grab a bottle of Muscadet - you'll find the pairing endlessly effortless and rewarding.

SHAVED FENNEL SALAD with ORANGES, OLIVES and RAS EL HANOUT

2 medium fennel bulbs, sliced thinly (save a good handful of the fronds!)
1 red onion, sliced thinly
10 - 12 cerignola olives, sliced
5 oranges, zested
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 - 4 tsp agave nectar or honey, to taste
4 tsp ras el hanout
salt and pepper

Combine olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, agave, 2 tsp ras el hanout, salt and pepper in a jam jar and shake until well mixed.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Mix fennel (slices and fronds), red onion, olives, and zest.  Next, segment your citrus.  To do this, use a paring knife to cut off the ends of each orange, so you have a flat surface.  Cut away the peel and pith, then cut your orange into rounds.  Pick out seeds as you go.  Add orange pieces to salad bowl. 

Toss salad with dressing (you might not use all of the dressing, so add as needed).  Sprinkle with remaining 2 tsp of ras el hanout.  I like this salad with a good bit of spice, but if you'd like a milder flavor, omit this step.