Spicy Green Mango

The sun has been shining so vibrantly these past few days and in addition to perking up my spirits, it's also been perking up my appetite for light and summery salads that will make good use of the fresh meyer lemons that have been nestling in my refridgerator since I hand-picked them from my friend's backyard many weeks ago. I absolutely love, love meyer lemons and their aromatic, citrusy scent just take me over the roof! I first had a taste many years ago and have been hooked ever since.  So, when my dear friend moved into her new home and told me she had some weird lemon tree in her yard, I was hoping (okay, I probably threw in a prayer or two) that it'd turn out to be a meyer lemon tree. I think Somebody was listening because when  I went to visit her tree..um, I mean my friend, sure enough, I nearly died of jubilation when I stood face to face with my very first gi-normous tree of meyers! I swear I felt like a piglet that had just discovered mud for the first time b/c my eyes glimmered with delight and I quickly opened my Trader Joe's bag that she graciously provided for me. Oh my..I could go on and on, but I think I'm blogging about a salad right? Okay, back to my initial premise for this post:  Citrus Fennel Salad.

I discovered fennel while shopping at my favorite produce store in Berkeley (CA).  Food Network had made me a more adventurous cook so I was more than willing to sample a new ingredient.  If you haven't tried fennel, well, it's somewhat of an acquired taste...much like a fine wine.  It has hints of star anise and cloves and although these fragrances might make you initially wary and skeptical, don't be---fennel is your friend..repeat after me:  fennel is fun and it can you be your friend if you let it.  The secret? Well, to balance out its flavor, you need some good 'ole citrus.  Yes, any kind will do.  In my salad, I used the juice of meyer lemons and tangelo oranges---the tartness of the tangelos pairs well with the bit of sweetness from the lemons.  Once you marry the flavors together, you can't help but produce a winning salad in my book.  Try it for yourself..don't be scurrred..fennel is your friend :)

Simple and Easy: Assemble your 'freshness'---mix up your 'juiciness and whisk away---lightly dress your salad and yup..grub on!

1/2 fennel bulb + fronds (Q: WTH are fronds? They are fancy words for the wispy leaves on the fennel)

1cup of fresh spring salad mix (My mix: baby bib lettuce, baby green lettuce, frisee, radicchio)

1 (tangelo) orange, peeled and cut into bite-sized wedges
1/2 baby cucumber or 1/4 long English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 (tangelo) orange, sqeezed and juiced

1/2 meyer lemon, squeezed and juiced

1 small shallot

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1.5 tbsp champagne or citrus vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

sprinkling of black pepper

Fennel is your Friend..she's a pretty one, too.

Now, can you really resist this?

And then this?  See the wispy fronds? I choose my fennel b/c of the fronds..I know, I know..so vain, but hey, I like to dress up my salad and make sure it's as yummy to look at as it is to taste..don't hate.