Fennel, Orange and Olive Salad (Insalata di Finocchio)
According to Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods on Mount Olympus and carried it to earth in a fennel stalk. The aromatic bulb has been a key player in Mediterranean cookery ever since. Fennel is a favorite winter vegetable in Rome, cooked or raw, but the addition of orange, recognized throughout Italy as fennel’s natural partner, is of Sicilian origin. The small brown-purple olives named for Gaeta, a picturesque port town in southern Lazio, are favorites in the capital for cooking and eating. This refreshing salad can go at either end of the meal, as an antipasto or a contorno.
Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
What these numbers assume — 6 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Fennel Bulb | 1/2 bulb (87g) | 27 |
| White Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Olive | 1 large (4g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- 2 rounded, rather than flat, fennel bulbs
- 1 blood orange or flavorful regular orange
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- About 24 Gaeta olives or other flavorful brine-cured black olives, pitted