One of my favorite uses for extra virgin olive oil is to make homemade vinaigrette’s.
Usually, a simple aliño made of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt.
However, I also enjoy using herbs and fruits to come up with unique flavors to top on salads of different kinds.
In my family we eat a salad nearly every day so I decided to come up with something a little bit different using seasonal ingredients.
For this salad I decided to use fennel. The large bulbous root in the image above.
The more I learn about fennel, the more excited I get to grow it this year in my garden. (Yes, it’s the time of year that I have dirt and growing on my mind 😉
It’s a delightful herb with a wonderful aroma of anise (black licorice). The bulb is usually eaten raw in salads or chopped and cooked like a root vegetable. The greens can be used as aromatic garnishes to top dishes of all kinds.
Fennel also has medicinal qualities to aid in digestion, soothe colic in babies and has been a long time remedy for coughs.
It’s been fun experimenting with fennel and lent itself beautifully to this salad alongside cooked beets, blood oranges for a touch of sweetness, and red onions for a peppery bite.
To top it off I made a citrus vinaigrette made up of freshly squeezed orange juice and infused with red onions and fennel.
Beet, Fennel, and Blood Orange Salad in a Citrus Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- 1 large or 2 small red beets, boiled and sliced
- one blood orange, peeled and segmented
- shaved fennel from the bulb
- red onion, thinly sliced
- fennel leaves to garnish
For the Vinaigrette
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon minced red onion
- 1 tablespoon fresh fennel leaves
Method:
1. On a plate arrange 4-5 slices of freshly boiled beets that have been cooled.
2. Top with shaved fennel, sliced red onions and blood oranges.
3. Top with citrus vinaigrette and garnish with fennel leaves.
For the Vinaigrette:
Mix all ingredients in a dressing or mason jar. Allow to meld flavors in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before using.
Simple… Seasonal… Fresh.
For the Giveaway!
Star Fine Foods has agreed to giveaway one bottle of their new line of California Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a Tote Bag!
I’m excited to give my readers an opportunity to try out Star’s new domestic line of EVOO!!
So what do you have to do? It’s simple!
- Like Star Fine Foods on Facebook and share the giveaway on your wall. (Please leave a comment that you liked Star Fine Foods on Facebook)
- Like Spain in Iowa on Facebook
- Pin the Beet, Fennel and Blood Orange Salad on Pinterest.
This giveaway ends on Monday, February 6th. The winning entry will be selected by random.org.
Good Luck!!
This post is sponsored by Star Fine Foods and their new line of California Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
rebecca says
beautiful salad
Sue/the view from great island says
Diana we are channeling each other today! Yours looks amazing, the fennel is so nice with the oranges.
Christine @ Fresh says
Please do not enter me into the giveaway, I have too much olive oil in the house right now. hehe. This is a visually arresting salad. I love using fennel for salads during the winter because they are so much sweeter.
Pat B says
I like Star Fine Foods on FB and shared the giveaway (Pat Harmon Babcock)
Pat B says
I like Spain in Iowa on FB (Pat Harmon Babcock)
stella shaughnessy reyes says
I like Star Fine Foods on FB and shared contest
stella shaughnessy reyes says
I also like A Little Bit of Spain In Iowa on FB
Rosa says
I liked star fine and shared also
Rosa says
I liked a little bit of spain in iowa
Rosa says
I pinned
Alicia Molina says
I liked and shared~!~!!
Maribel says
I like star foods,thanks for this great giveaway and for sharing this delicious salad and vinaigrette
MommaMary (Mary Cochrane) says
I already liked Star Fine Foods on Facebook
Lisa Richardson says
I liked Star Fine Foods and shared on FB!
MommaMary (Mary Cochrane) says
I like a Little Bit of Spain in Iowa
Lisa Richardson says
I liked Spain in Iowa on FB!
Lisa Richardson says
I Pinned the Beet Salad on Pinterest!
MommaMary (Mary Cochrane) says
I pinned the recipe on pinterest
Erika Chilton says
I liked Star Fine foods on Facebook.
Erika Chilton says
I shared the link on my wall.
Erika Chilton says
I liked A Little Bit of Spain on Facebook.
noelle says
Hi there! What a wonderful salad. I have to day that I have never used our tasted a blood orange. I need to find one quickly. I like STAR foods on FB.
noelle says
I like Spain in Iowa on FB.
Mary Beth Hunt says
I liked Star on Facebook
Mary Beth Hunt says
I already LIKE your blog on Facebook!
Mary Beth Hunt says
I pinned that beautiful recipe!
Barbara D. Newman says
I just love Star raspberry vinegar, unfortunately I can’t find it in Las Vegas. NV. I’m sure the olive oil would be delicious in any recipe. The beet salad looked so good, it made me hungry.
IAMSNWFLAKE says
We’re in synch today … I’ve just posted the recipe for a pie featuring a beet leaves filling.
http://dondehogar.blogspot.com/2012/01/de-gustos-y-complementos-culinarios.html
meemsnyc says
I liked them on Facebook!
lindsey says
Liked star foods on facebook
Leigh Nichols says
Liked and shared 🙂
Leigh Nichols says
Liked A little bit of Spain on FB
Steph says
Yum, this looks delicious & refreshing!
samW says
like spain in ia on fb
France @ Beyond The Peel says
Beautiful flavors Diana, The blood oranges make such a lovely presentation and the fennel dressing sounds lively and bright.
Sheila says
I already liked Star Fine Foods 🙂
Sheila says
I liked A Little Bit Of Spain In Iowa
Sheila says
I pinned the yummy salad recipe 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win!
Miranda Bryant says
Hi, i just liked their page and this couldnt come at a better time bc i was looking for somewhere to buy quality olive oil, thanks!
Amy Ridge says
I “liked” their page. Thanks for the chance to win some EVOO!
Heidi Sims says
Liked STAR Fine Foods would be neat to win the tote and olive oil. made the change this year and love cooking with olive oil!
Brandy Esch says
I “liked” the Star Fine Foods page on Facebook. 🙂 I always buy Star Olive Oil because it’s the only one that actually looks green, like olive oil should look. 🙂
Brandy Esch says
I already “liked” Spain in Iowa. Love the recipes.:)
Brandy Esch says
I have pinned this recipe to my pintrest. 🙂 It looks delicious.
Lesly Christensen says
liked!! thank you!!!
Jennifer Basler says
liked them!
Heather Strouse Zeh says
liked!
Stacey Bower Shipe says
Liked 🙂
Devon Mussmon Hernandez says
Done! I would love to win a bottle of olive oil!!!
Danielle Ferguson says
Already liked Star! 😉
Devon H says
I liked Star Fine Foods on fb and shared the giveaway!
Devon H says
I like Spain in Iowa in fb!
Devon H says
I pinned this, but something wasn’t working, so I ended up having to pin from Safari on my iPhone so this didn’t probably show up on you pin counter. I’m Drvon Mussmon Hernandez on pinterest if you need to check 😉
Leeann Ross says
Liked! 🙂 *fingers crossed*
Monica Young says
liked Star thank you for the entry
Michelle @ Simplify, Live, Love says
I liked Star!
Michelle @ Simplify, Live, Love says
I like Spain in Iowa!
Michelle @ Simplify, Live, Love says
I pinned your salad – looks delish! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity. By the way, I have a giveaway going on my blog right now for a Boba Baby carrier – 3 winners – ends 2/14. Might come in handy for you with the new little girl! You can enter here if you’d like: http://www.simplifylivelove.com/2012/02/boba-baby-carrier-review-and-giveaway.html#more-3169
Amy Fly Morton says
liked! 🙂
A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa says
Congratulations Lesly Christensen! You won the Star Fine Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Tote 😀 Please send your shipping information to diana (at) spain-in-iowa.com and we’ll get that out to you!! Congrats again 😀
leann lindeman says
already like them on facebook and shared on my wall
leann lindeman says
Like you on facebook.