I recently stumbled across a jar of wild crafted fennel pollen at Cookbook, a funky little grocery market near my house. They carry stuff like locally grown produce, kombu, and to my delight, fennel pollen! Fennel pollen is kind of magical because it can be sprinkled on a variety of things- salad, popcorn, grilled fish, vine ripened tomato slices, fresh fruit– and it gives whatever it’s sprinkled on a really awesome, unique taste. And Fennel pollen has therapeutic qualities too! For this recipe I tied it into a salad with a citrus dressing, just pulling from some seasonal stuff I had picked up at the Farmers Market.
Beet, Avocado & Tomato Salad with Blood Orange & Fennel Pollen
For the Dressing: 1 orange of any kind juiced 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger 1/4 tsp. tamari 1 tbsp. minced scallion (the white part) Sea salt to taste, about a pinch or two For the Salad: 3 small or 2 medium golden beets, cleaned and sliced thin 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced width-wise to make round slices, if possible 1 blood orange, peeled and sliced, seeds removed 1 heirloom tomato, sliced into round slices Liberal pinches of fennel pollen* Curly endive, baby romaine, arugula and-or other decorative lettuce Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Preheat a stove top griddle or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the griddle or pan with oil, and grill the beet slices on both sides until they are slightly browned and tender, about 5-7 minutes on each side. To make the dressing, blend all the dressing ingredients in a blender or using a wire whip. To make the salads, arrange 4 plates with some decorative greens. Place a tomato slice or two, then avocado slices, then intermingle slices or segments of blood orange with the grilled beet slices. You can be fancy or just toss it together, as long as you enjoy the salad and all the flavors. Drizzle the dressing over the salads and make sure it covers a little bit of everything. Finish it off with a couple pinches of fennel pollen sprinkled all over. Enjoy immediately.
*If you don’t have access to fennel pollen, you can substitute some coarsely ground fennel seed and still have a delicious salad.
Beet, Avocado & Tomato Salad with Blood Orange & Fennel Pollen
Ingredients
- For the Dressing:
- 1 orange juiced
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
- 1/4 tsp. tamari
- 1 tbsp. minced scallion use the white part
- pinch Sea salt to taste more to taste
- For the Salad:
- 3 small golden beets cleaned and sliced thin; or use 2 large golden beets
- 1 avocado peeled, pitted and sliced width-wise to make round slices, if possible
- 1 blood orange peeled and sliced, seeds removed
- 1 heirloom tomato sliced into round slices
- Liberal pinches of fennel pollen*
- Curly endive, baby romaine, arugula and-or other decorative lettuce
- Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat a stove top griddle or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Brush the griddle or pan with oil, and grill the beet slices on both sides until they are slightly browned and tender, about 5-7 minutes on each side.
- To make the dressing, blend all the dressing ingredients in a blender or using a wire whip.
- To make the salads, arrange 4 plates with some decorative greens. Place a tomato slice or two, then avocado slices, then intermingle slices or segments of blood orange with the grilled beet slices. You can be fancy or just toss it together, as long as you enjoy the salad and all the flavors.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salads and make sure it covers a little bit of everything.
- Finish it off with a couple pinches of fennel pollen sprinkled all over. Enjoy immediately.