Orange and fennel salad ( Insalata di arance e finocchi)

It's a very peculiar recipe, light and tasty, great to break the long series of heavy lunch and great dinners of the Christmas period.

It's a winter recipe because oranges and fennels are typical winter vegetables, it's most used in the South of Italy where citrus grown.

If you like the two main ingredients you'll love it!

I had a housemate at univeristy than used to eat it almost everyday...

For two persons:

2 oranges

2 fennels

salt and pepper

3 - 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Slice the oranges (peel them carefully and keep off the white part) and arrange them in a serving plate.

Clean the fennels, cut them very thin then transfer the fennels in a bowl to season them with oil salt and pepper.

Transfer the fennels on the oranges, dizzle with a little more extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

If you like you can slice thin a little red onion too and add it to the salad.

Fennel gratin (Finocchi al gratin).

 Inspired by a request from a member of DC (Discuss cooking) today I post the recipe to use in a tasty way fennels.
Chop each fennel in four, then boil them in salty hot water untill they're soft.
Put them in a pirex pan with thin slice of butter and cover with grated parmesan.
Let them golden under the grill and serve.
If you want to add taste and softness you can use bechamel instead of butter: cover fennels and mix well then use parmesan.
You can do the same with boiled cauliflower, it's fantastic!
It's a light alternative to pasta al forno or a tasty side dish.