Winter Citrus with Blood Orange and Fennel (Print version)

A refreshing Mediterranean salad with blood oranges, fennel, and citrus vinaigrette—perfect for brightening winter meals.

# Ingredient List:

→ Citrus

01 - 3 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
02 - 2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
03 - 1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced with fronds reserved for garnish
05 - 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

→ Herbs & Garnish

06 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, torn
07 - 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, optional

→ Vinaigrette

08 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
11 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
02 - Arrange the blood orange, navel orange, and grapefruit slices on a large serving platter in slightly overlapping layers.
03 - Scatter the fennel and red onion slices evenly over the citrus.
04 - Drizzle the vinaigrette evenly over the salad.
05 - Garnish with torn mint leaves, reserved fennel fronds, and pomegranate seeds if using.
06 - Serve immediately, or chill for up to 30 minutes before serving to enhance flavor development.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bright citrus flavors wake up your taste buds when everything outside feels dormant and gray.
  • Its surprisingly filling despite being light, which I discovered after making it three times in one week during last years post-holiday reset.
02 -
  • Slicing the fennel with a mandoline rather than a knife completely transforms the texture, making it delicate enough to complement rather than compete with the citrus.
  • Letting the sliced red onion soak in ice water for 10 minutes removes that harsh bite while preserving the beautiful color and crunch.
03 -
  • Supreme your citrus over a bowl to catch all the juice, then add a splash of that collected nectar to your vinaigrette for an intensified flavor that ties everything together.
  • When in season, seek out Moro blood oranges specifically, as their deeper color and balanced sweetness make them the ideal variety for this particular combination.

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