Michael wanted to try the old Italian classic fennel dish, Insalata d'aranciata e finocchio. So, we went for it. Thinly sliced rings of crisp fennel bulb, along with the chopped green feathery bits, and slices of Clementine oranges are basically all there is to this salad. It is simply dressed with red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt. This is a refreshing dish. Though fennel is often described as having an 'anise' flavor, it is quite mild and very complementary when paired with citrus.
We served it with a Milanese style "risotto" made with barley. I've made faux risotto many times with barley by now, and I've grown very fond of these grains. Arborio rice is of course the traditional grain for this dish, but I'm not missing it. The saffron, butter, onions, chicken broth, and parmigiano reggiano all meld together so well, they really do produce the authentic flavor, if not precisely the texture of this classic Italian dish.
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