Salmon with Fennel and Orange with Balsamic Reduction

Whenever I go back to Italy I must always pay a visit to my dad's field where, all around the year, you will find many vegetables ready to be picked.
When a month ago I went there, there was so much fennel everywhere which looked just like a mini "forest of fennel" and the children loved to hide between the leafs! (and me too!).
I love its smell and delicious taste. Fennel has many properties and it is very rich in vitamin C. You can eat it on its own, raw or cooked but the way I prefer is to slice it really thin and dress it with olive oil, salt and lemon. It makes a really fresh and tasty winter salad.
Many recipes combine fennel with orange as the two seem to go perfectly together. So you can add bits of orange to your salad or serve it with freshly squeezed orange juice. It will add extra flavour.
As I wanted to make a meal using fennel I combined salmon, fennel and orange with a reduction of balsamic vinegar (very easy and quick to prepare).
A good dish to be enjoyed with fresh rustic bread.
- Prep Time : 25 minutes
- Cook Time : 20 minutes
Ingredients
- salmon - 500 g
- orange - 1
- lemon - 1/2
- fennel - 1
- balsamic vinegar - 50 ml
- brown sugar - 5 g
- cinnamon stick - 1/2
- chives - a small bunch
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Wash and slice the fennel into thin slices (about 2mm thick). You can use a knife or a mandolin if you have one. Put the fennel in a bowl and dress it with a tbsp of olive oil, salt and lemon juice and the finely chopped chives. Stir well.
Put the fennel slices into two pastry cutters over two separate plates
Rub the salmon with salt and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes in a pan with a little olive oil. Cut it into small cubes, let it cool down and put it over the fennel pressing well
Cut the orange in half. Use one half to decorate the dishes and squeeze the juice of the other half. Mix the juice with 1 tbsp of olive oil and pour it over the salmon.
Make the balsamic reduction by boiling in a pan 50 ml of balsamic vinegar with 5 g of brown sugar and half a cinnamon stick. Stir for a few minutes until the vinegar has thickened up.
Decorate the dishes with the balsamic reduction and the fennel leaves.
your salmon look delicious Alida!!
Thank you Gloria! 🙂
Un piatto delizioso con abbinamenti perfetti, e ben presentato, complimenti! Un bacione!
I love that field of fennel – wonderful photo. And I’m such a fan of fennel – although I’ve never used it raw like this before. This sounds fantastic for a little meal…
Dear Alida, what a great post, Thanks for sharing your recipe with us. I love fennel, and I can see that you were up to your shoulders in the fields of fennel. How wonderful to have your dad’s garden filled with such aromatic veggies. My parents always, since I can remember have fennel at the end of our holiday meal. It is so yummy and tastes like licorice. In Italian we would call it Finocchio. Your dish is so pretty the way you presented this fabulous salmon. Blessings for a terrific Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Dottie 🙂
A very beautiful appetizer, Alida. Love the click of you holding fennel.