This time of year in Cyprus is special. It’s supposedly “winter” but it’s hard to tell because it’s still 20-something degrees outside, which is tantamount to a warm summer’s day in Canada. People still swim in the sea. And you can still see people suntanning. For me it’s not so much the change in weather that marks the beginning of winter, but the arrival of citrus season. It is a wonderful time. I have never tasted better freshly squeezed orange juice than in Cyprus. I am a lazy breakfast person, so the possibility of opening a juicy, sweet clementine is deliciousness served. The other weekend I went to a farmers’ market and they had some wonderful fresh fennel. I couldn’t resist. Then yesterday when I was looking for an easy and quick lunch, I just naturally combined the ingredients I had around. Some fresh oranges with thinly sliced fennel, a little lemon juice, red onion, freshly grated lime and some finely chopped red onion and fresh mint. I roasted some fresh pecans I had and added some crumbled feta for a little saltiness and some bulgur wheat to give it some depth. It worked. It was quite a fresh salad. Good for this days when you crave something light. I love foods and dishes that you can make with what is around you. Those are the best meals for me. I hope you enjoy. And I will see you soon with some upcoming Christmas recipes!
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
Preparation Time: about 20 minutes
Cooking Time: n/a
2 large servings
ingredients
1 medium sized fennel bulb
1 small orange
1 tsp finely chopped mint
1/4 cup roasted pecans
zest of 1/2 lime
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup cooked Mitsides Bulgur Wheat
recipe
1. Remove the fennel bulb’s hard exterior and finely slice it into rings.
2. Chop the orange into small wedges. Do this by chopping off the exterior of the orange, and then using a sharp knife to cut wedges out between the skin of the orange. Try to do this over the salad bowl to save the juices that will run out.
3. Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together.
