1/2 lemon
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
Trim the fennel bulbs and radishes, thinly slice them with a sharp knife or mandoline and place in ice water while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Peel, seed, and segment the pummelo, Oro Blanco, or grapefruit (see below). If using a pummelo, use your fingers to separate the vesicles into little clumps. If using an Oro Blanco or grapefruit, cut the segments crosswise into small bite-sized pieces.
Drain the fennel and radishes and place in a bowl with the fennel fronds, citrus, olives, chives, and greens. Drizzle with the oil and a squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss, and then taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Recipe Notes
- How to choose fennel bulbs: Look for white, juicy bulbs with fresh-looking fronds. The rounder bulbs (Italians call these "female") are often sweetest, and the flatter ("male") bulbs stronger tasting. The bulbs will keep refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to 1 week. Use the feathery tops for grilling or roasting fish.
- How to peel and segment citrus: Using a sharp, small- to medium-sized knife, cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of the fruit, exposing the flesh. Stand the fruit upright and cut downward to remove the peel and its pith in wide strips, tracing the curve of the fruit with your knife to expose the pulp. Hold the fruit in one hand over a bowl and slice along both sides of each segment to free it from the membrane, dropping the segments into the bowl as you go. Reserve the juice-laden membranes for use in dressing or seasoning the dish, squeezing them with your hand to extract the juice.
Reprinted with permission from The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook by Amelia Saltsman, copyright (c) 2007. Published by Blenheim Press.