Blood orange & fennel salad with currants & agrodolce dressing

Ingredients (Serves 4 to 6)

• 3 blood oranges, peeled
• 2 red witlof (chicory/Belgian endive), core removed and leaves separated
• 1 head radicchio, leaves separated and broken
• 1 bunch chicory (endive), stems and leaves cut into 3 cm pieces
• 2 fennel bulbs, fronds chopped and bulbs finely sliced on a mandoline
• 100 g currants, soaked for 30 minutes in enough water to cover
• 1 bunch dill, picked

Agrodolce dressing

• Oil, for frying
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 50 g caster sugar
• 75 ml aged red wine vinegar
• 75 ml balsamic vinegar
• 100 ml olive oil

Method

Remove the white pith from the oranges using a small sharp knife. Working over a bowl to catch the juice, cut between each membrane to remove the segments. Squeeze out the remaining juice from the core and reserve for the dressing.
To make the dressing, heat a splash of oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and gently cook until golden brown. Add the sugar and the vinegars, and continue cooking until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid has reduced by a third.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Once cooled, strain out the onions, whisk in the reserved orange juice and the olive oil and season to taste.
Give all of the salad leaves a good wash and allow to dry in a colander.
Gently fold all of the salad ingredients together with the dressing in a large salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

NOTE: Rocket (arugula) is a good substitute if chicory (endive) is unavailable. If blood oranges are out of season, navel oranges are a fine substitute. We also sometimes use apples or stone fruit, but citrus is lighter and great for summer.

Recipe: Paul and Linda Jones

Images: Laura Bamford

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