Fennel orange salad with harissa dressing

Every now and again, I find a dish that I like so much I do it over and over and over again. Like, for example, the Russian egg salad. Or, this cauliflower soup. And, let’s not even mention the whole #beetrootgate affair. This is one of those dishes, which has become one of the staples of last Winter (and Spring…  and even Summer). It is just divine with smoked trout, baked salmon, cold cuts… And all this for less than 250 calories for a reasonable sized portion. Really, what not to like this salad?

Fennel orange salad with harissa dressing  (adapted from Dave Myers and Si King’s The Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and Lose Weight)

Ingredients 

• 2 medium size fennel bulbs, trimmed,  woody central core part removed and thinly sliced
• 2-3 oranges peeled (white parts out) and cut into 5cm chunks.
• 1/2 radicchio washed and thinly sliced (escarole or endive also will also works well)
• About 20 roasted salted almost slightly crushed with a mortar
• Handfull of raisins or sultanas (or a mix of both).

For the harissa dressing

• 1 tablespoon harissa
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/2 white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch ground coriander
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Place the sliced fennel in a salad bowl. Carefully remove the white bitter parts of the orange and slice the oranges to divide flesh sections. Add to the bowl Crush the roasted salted almonds with a mortar and tip in the bowl. Add the sliced radicchio In a small bowl whisk well the harissa, honey, coriander and white wine vinegar. Pour in the olive oil in a very thin stream (spoon by spoon),  beating all the while. The sauce is ready when it you obtain a glossy, slightly thick mixture. Drizzle the harissa dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately.