Little Gem Salad with Fennel and Orange

Here in Georgia, we’re gliding into Spring – the sunny afternoons call you to the outdoors, berries and fruit are in abundance at the supermarkets with a whole new level of vibrancy, and bits of green are showing up on the trees along with the first flowers. Little Gem Salad with Fennel and Orange is a homage to Spring. This time of year is truly my favorite; I always feel inspired and fresh. 

As you know my love for salads runs deep and I’m always thinking about new combinations of flavors and textures that are exciting and aligned to the seasons.

In Little Gem Salad with Fennel and Orange, I incorporate sweet, juicy oranges with crunchy, licorice-y fennel which complement each other so well. The thinly sliced red onion and fennel run throughout the salad and the juicy orange supremes pop as you bite into them bringing just the right amount of sweetness. The slightly sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette is key to this salad, complimenting all the flavors. 

Little Gem Salad with Fennel and Orange is the perfect exclamation point on any dinner for any occasion – your favorite holiday, Saturday night barbeques, or just Wednesday night. If you’ve got Spring on your mind like I do this one is for you – enjoy sharing this salad with your family and friends. 

How to Prepare Little Gem Salad with Fennel and Orange

The prep for this salad could not be more simple! My go-to methodology for any salad prep is to start by slicing and prepping all of the components, then tossing with the lettuce and dressing right before serving and enjoying. So, for this salad, start by thinly slicing the red onion and fennel and preparing the orange supremes. 

To prepare the red onion, slice it in half through the root, which will leave you with two half-moon-shaped halves. Next, remove the outer skin. With a sharp knife, thinly slice one-half of the red onion. 

Fennel is a beautiful vegetable! It comes topped with delicate green fronds which are equally delicious. Start by removing the fronds and setting them aside – they will be your garnish on the salad. Next, separate the fennel bulb from the steam and slice the bulb in half. Remove the core of the fennel bulb by slicing a triangle shape around it. Finally, with a sharp knife, thinly slice the fennel the same as you did with the red onion.

To supreme an orange simply means to get rid of the skin and white pith of the fruit, using only the interior of the fruit. This sounds fancy and it kind of is – this process will be your new kitchen trick.

To start the process, slice off the top and bottom of the orange and stand it upright. Using a paring knife, slice off the skin of the orange by gliding your knife down the outside of the orange from top to bottom. Once all the skin and white pith are removed, use your paring knife to cut out the orange supremes by slicing just inside the membranes creating an inverted triangle. 

Now that you have all the salad components ready to go, grab a large mixing bowl. To that bowl add the torn butter and little gem lettuce leaves then top with the red onion, fennel, and orange supremes. Next, add the White Balsamic Dressing starting with half, and toss to combine. Continue adding the dressing to your taste. The lettuce leaves should be lightly coated. Turn the salad out onto a large platter or serving bowl of your choice, top with the fennel fronds, and enjoy! 

Share by Email

Print Recipe

Little Gem Salad with Fennel and Orange

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 5 Oz Butter Lettuce Leaves, Torn
• 5 Oz Little Gem Leaves, Torn If you cannot find Little Gem lettuce, substitute with Red Leaf lettuce.
• 2 Oranges, Peeled and Supremed
• 1 Medium Fennel Bulb, Core Removed and thinly sliced Yields about 3/4 C
• 2 Tbsp Fennel Fronds, roughly chopped or torn Reserved from the stems of the fennel bulb
• 1/2 Small Red Onion, Thinly Sliced Yields about 1/2 C
• 1/4 C Prepared White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Instructions

• Thinly slice the red onion and fennel, then set aside.
• Remove the fronds of the fennel bulb and tare or roughly chop, then set aside.
• Peel the oranges using a sharp paring knife so that the skin and white pith are removed.
• With a sharp paring knife, cut the orange supremes by slicing just inside the membranes creating an inverted triangle. The orange supreme will easily lift out. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the torn butter lettuce and little gem lettuce. Gently toss to combine and evenly distribute.
• Add the fennel, red onion, and orange supremes.
• Add the White Balsamic Vinaigrette starting with half, then gently toss to combine. Add the remaining half to taste. The leaves of the lettuce should be lightly coated.
• Turn the tossed salad out onto a large serving tray or bowl. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

If you would prefer not to supreme the oranges, simply peel the oranges as instructed and chop them into even, bite-sized pieces.