Citrus & Shaved Fennel Salad with Meyer Lemon Dressing

Shaved Fennel & Citrus Salad with Meyer Lemon Dressing is a winter celebration in a bowl! Although grown in the spring and summer seasons, winter’s harvest brings a brilliant variety of fragrant citrus fruits to choose from. Citrus fruits range in bitter, sweet, or tart levels, with some hitting more of one flavor sensation than another. Combining the “anise-like” taste of fennel with the sweetness of oranges and Meyer lemon makes for a refreshing start to a New Year!

When are citrus fruits in season?

You can find a variety of oranges, lemon, and limes in your local supermarket year-round, but the availability of niche citrus fruits will vary. For example, Meyer lemons are best from December until May, blood orange varieties are the best from December until April, and clementines and tangerines are the best between late October and January.

Did you know there are over 400 types of oranges in the world!

When making this citrus salad, almost any variety of citrus will do. I recommend focusing on seedless varieties in a salad or removing seeds, if possible.

Where should citrus fruits be stored?

Citrus fruits will keep it for a couple of days at room temperature, but the refrigerator is the best way to store them. The vegetable drawer is the best spot. They should be able to stay fresh there for several weeks

Oranges and other citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and grapefruits can be for up to one week at room temperature. If you want to prolong the shelf life (some even up to 3-4 weeks) of citrus fruits, keep them in a bag in the refrigerator.

How can citrus fruits boost immune system?

Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, a nutrient known to help give your immune system a boost. It encourages your immune system to produce white blood cells, which are necessary to fight infections.

One of the first vitamins we turn to when we catch a cold is Vitamin C. That’s because it helps build up your immune system. Many of you are familiar with the popular Emergen-C fizzy packets of vitamin C. Why not eat an orange for an extra boost of vitamin C or squeeze some juice into your meal for that extra boost!

Just like salt, citrus fruit can enhance the flavors in a dish.

When cooking, one of the final touches to a dish is salt which helps bring together the many flavors. Adding a hint of lemon can work a similar type of magic to a recipe. Layering different acids to a recipe will balance any dish and take some experience to figure out. One of my favorite books to recommend on this subject is Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat.

What is the taste difference between regular lemons and Meyer lemons?

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Although Meyer lemons and regular lemons are used in similar ways, their tastes and appearance are easy to differentiate. Regular lemons are much larger in size and brighter in color when compared to Meyer lemons. Meyer lemons have deep yellow skin and dark yellow pulp. Meyer lemons are also less acidic and sweeter in taste. They also carry a higher price tag due to their shorter window of availability (December – March) and more fragile nature.

3 EASY Steps to make Citrus & Shaved Fennel Salad with Meyer Lemon Dressing

1. Prep the fennel using a mandoline slicer (Hint: keep the fennel submerged in cold water with a squeeze of lemon while prepping – it will save the fennel from browning due to oxidation).
2. Peel & cut the orange into segments (Tip: supreme the oranges to remove membranes).
3. Make the dressing – combine by shaking in a covered jar (Idea: double the amount and have leftover dressing for another salad).

Check out some of my recent seasonal recipes:

• Sweet Pea Crostini With Mint Gremolata
• Spring Asparagus & Pea Salad with Quinoa and Fresh Herbs
• Celery Root, Carrot & Broccoli Slaw with Avocado Dressing
• Air Fryer Simple Sunchoke Chips Recipe
• Roasted Sunchokes with Lemon & Thyme

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