On my final night in Italy I had dinner at a restaurant beside the Hotel Julia, where I always stay in Rome. I ordered saltimbocca and a fennel and blood orange salad. The saltimbocca was fairly ordinary but the salad was delicious.
I recreated it myself shortly after I arrived home…it was quite simple.
The ingredients…a fennel bulb, a blood orange, pitted olives and anchovies.
Slice the fennel finely.
Pour a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper on the fennel and let it sit for a while.
Peel and slice the orange.
To assemble the salad, place the olives in a dish.
Arrange the anchovies over the olives.
…then the fennel.
…and the orange slices.
I served it with some grilled Tasmanian ocean trout. The only thing missing was lovely Rome.
Totally delicious and very healthy meal. think we’ll be having a go at that albeit we’ll have to use local trout!
By: chris oconnor on July 19, 2014
at 11:45 am
Local trout sounds excellent
By: Debra Kolkka on July 19, 2014
at 12:08 pm
Sounds good – my salads always seem to turn out the same – must try this one
By: Francis on July 19, 2014
at 11:51 am
I’m sure you will like it.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 19, 2014
at 12:09 pm
Looks delicious! I will copy your recipe, Debra, but I will have to wait until the winter comes, as it is practically impossible to find blood oranges in Europe in the middle of summer…
By: mulino dominillo on July 19, 2014
at 11:53 am
They have a short season here too. Ordinary oranges would do.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 19, 2014
at 12:10 pm
How yummy and simple. I haven’t seen blood oranges here but will substitute with the normal orange.
By: Jim & Kerry on July 19, 2014
at 12:45 pm
Regular oranges will work well too.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:29 pm
You sure are observant and clever in replicating the recipes learnt in restaurants. I love the look of the salad and will try it myself. Love the idea of using ocean trout with it. Any kind of fish will probably compliment the salad, too.
By: Sandra Hoopmann on July 19, 2014
at 1:02 pm
The salad is delicious and would be a great side dish, or just by itself.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:08 pm
Looks wonderful and I am sure yummy.
By: Anonymous on July 19, 2014
at 1:36 pm
I love fennel and blood oranges, and this combination is great.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:08 pm
Just that first line makes me long for the divine tastes and scents of Rome..even the noise.. and here I am struggling with a sick cow, when i could be in Rome.. What was i THINKING!?.. same me a seat!.. c
By: cecilia on July 19, 2014
at 1:50 pm
Rome is wonderful. It is nice to be able to recreate just a bit of it at home.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:09 pm
agreed, for me it is pizza bianca.. she says shewing on a crust!
By: cecilia on July 22, 2014
at 12:45 am
Yum! Ingredients I love separately. So I must love them together! I have no sick cow, so I’ll try it right away.
By: The Daily Cure on July 19, 2014
at 3:25 pm
I like all the ingredients too, and they make a great combination.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:10 pm
It sounds delicious – time to try it out.
By: Anonymous on July 19, 2014
at 3:25 pm
It is really easy to put together.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:10 pm
I can imagine the wonderful salty, sweet and juicy aniseed flavours – it would be a lovely contrast to the fish.
By: Jan on July 19, 2014
at 11:07 pm
It is delicious, I’m sure you will like it.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:12 pm
Sounds such an interesting taste sensation. I will try it soon.
By: Dianne Cant on July 19, 2014
at 11:12 pm
It would make a great light lunch.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:12 pm
This looks fabulous! A great combination of sweet, salt and sour. Great recreation!
By: Jennifer Hartnett-Henderson on July 19, 2014
at 11:48 pm
It was almost as good as the one I had in Rome.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:14 pm
I will try this. I do a fennel and orange salad but with white beans.
By: Sandra on July 20, 2014
at 1:57 am
I love white beans, that would be good too.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:14 pm
Ooh we have all of those ingredients in season now! I really want to try this 😀
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on July 20, 2014
at 11:55 am
I’m sure you will like it.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:14 pm
This looks heavenly – and so easy to make. Oranges (and avocados) are one of my favourite ingredients in a salad!
By: James on July 20, 2014
at 12:08 pm
It is really easy to make and it tasts great.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:15 pm
Italy was where I learned to use fennel…such a good salad. Love the olive contrast.
By: twainausten on July 21, 2014
at 6:49 pm
Fennel is delicious raw or cooked…I love it.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 21, 2014
at 11:15 pm
I love fennel … so this seems wonderful!
By: aFrankAngle on July 22, 2014
at 2:30 pm
A wonderful classic with a twist! Lovely!
By: janinevasta on August 5, 2014
at 12:24 am