When we went to Sicily we were introduced to the Sicilian lemon. There are several types of this wonderful juicy and versatile fruit that grows in Sicily. Where we were staying grew one type of lemon called Cedro (pronounced chedro) The inside fruit was tart and juicy like your typical lemon but the skin was very thick and firm, completely edible and sweet! When you sliced the lemon thinly it made an excellent addition to a salad. Since you most likely won’t find the cedro lemon outside of Sicily opt for the pith of 2 organic lemons. You will need the juice of the lemons for the salad dressing.
Cedro lemon just picked off the tree
The exterior of the cedro lemon is rough and bumpy. The cut blood orange reveals the juicy pink inside which is a wonderful addition to the dressing.
I love the mild liquorice flavour of fennel. It’s great raw and is very good for your stomach, aiding in digestion. It’s not strong in flavour like black liquorice and not bitter at all. Treat it just like you would celery.
Blood oranges and purple/red radicchio bring this salad to life!
Radicchio is a soft leafy vegetable but more bitter in flavour. I love the bright purple/red colour of it too. Thinly sliced I like it in my salad to off-set the flavours from romaine lettuce and fennel.
This salad uses romaine as its base with all the other ingredients complimenting it. And I made a citrus dressing to heighten the cedro lemon and bring to life the romaine. This is a hearty salad that aids in digestion leaving you feeling light and vibrant!!
Fennel, Radicchio and Lemon Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Head Romaine lettuce
- 3 Stalks Fennel
- 1/2 Head Small Radicchio
- 2 Organic lemons You will use both pith and juice of lemon
- 4 Blood oranges Two for the salad and two for the dressing
- 1/2 Cup olive oil Look for Cold pressed virgin olive oil
- 2 Garlic cloves, crushed Use local garlic instead of imported
- 1 Tsp (aprox) Red chili flakes Don't add a lot. You want just a very mild hint of heat
- 1 Tsp salt
- Freshly cracked pepper Adjust as needed
Instructions
- Wash all your ingredients well. Chop up romain lettuce and pat dry with paper towel. Place in large glass bowl.
- Thinly slice both fennel and radicchio and add to the romaine.
- Peel or chop and segment 2 blood oranges and set aside. Juice the other 2 oranges and reserve for dressing.
- In a medium size bowl add crushed garlic, juice from lemon and orange and olive oil. Add salt and chilli peppers and wisk well. Taste that dressing is balanced between oil and juices of lemon. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Pour over salad and mix well. Top with segmented orange and serve.
