Fennel and Radish Citrus Salad

Move a few simple side ingredients front and center to create this fresh and easy fennel, radish and citrus salad. This recipe is Paleo, gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and Whole30 friendly.

The radish has never held much weight in my life. It was always an afterthought, a garnish.

Then I moved to Paris, and I started to partake in the apéro. The apéro is the ritual of drinks and noshes before going out or having dinner, kind of like happy hour.

You know what the French love to serve during apéro? Radishes.

I remember thinking when I saw the crown jewel radish at every apéro, I'm going to starve here, or get really tipsy before I even go out.

So, I started joining in on the radish eating. It was served simply with butter and salt, and it was perfect. It perked up the palate and was a nice compliment to a cocktail.

I’m not going to leave you with a radish and butter recipe. I’m taking things up a notch with this fennel and radish citrus salad.

Fennel held a similar position to the radish in my life for quite some time. It was another filler. Due to its distinct licorice taste, I could never imagine eating more than a sliver or two of it, buried under some more interesting ingredients.

This fennel and radish salad has a splash of orange. I love the flavor of orange. Fresh squeezed orange juice? Yes, please.

I feel like orange juice can bring together the most unlikely of flavors to sit under its citrus halo. It enhances and equalizes flavors. It can take the bite out of a radish and can mellow the strong licorice flavor of fennel.

I think this fennel radish citrus salad is perfect for a family get together. Stay with me here.

Family gatherings often include some unlikely characters that have been bitter at times or felt unimportant. With a dash of citrus sweetness, it can often be the juice that binds and brings people together.

I know my mom was always tried to be the great equalizer, and she very often succeeded.

So here's a fennel radish citrus salad whose individual ingredients may not be favorites on their own, but together, they make a wonderful, well-balanced dish.

Fennel and Radish Citrus Salad
{Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Whole30}

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 large fennel

• 6 large radishes

• 4 medium ripe oranges

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Remove the stalks and fronds from the fennel bulb, and trim the bottom of the bulb. Use a sharp knife or mandolin to shave thin strips from the bulb and place in a bowl.

2. Remove the leaves from the radishes and cut thin slices with a knife or a mandolin, and add to the fennel.

3. Take a knife and cut the top and bottom from the orange and slice the skin and pulp from the sides, and section into slivers. Add to the bowl and squeeze the juice remaining on the flesh of the skins over the mixture in the bowl. Drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper over everything and gently mix. Cut some of the fennel fronds and use to top the salad. Serve immediately.

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