I love this warm salad during the winter, especially at a holiday table.  It's so digestion supportive, and we know a happy gut means happy skin!

Why a warm salad?  

Well, because it's winter and our digestion is already a little less vivacious than in the summer.  Raw produce is harder to digest, so slightly warming our veggies helps to support that digestive fire that we want to keep burning. It feels warm an comforting, and it's a nice change of pace from the way we often eat our leafy veggies.  

Radicchio is one of my favorites because it is SO bitter.  Like the most bitter thing I can find at the grocery store.  I think this plays well with the goat cheese and the sweetness of the sautéed fennel.  

Fennel plays a lovely role here because it's a classic carminative herb.  It helps to reduce bloating and gas (perfect if you're eating this along side a heavy meal).  It also helps to support gut motility- helping things move without being a laxative. With it being full of skin loving nutrients like vitamin c and quercetin, it's a beautiful ingredient to support happy skin all season long!  

Ingredients

For the salad

• 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced 

• 1 medium radicchio, sliced into 1–1½” ribbons

• 2–3 cups of arugula (or 2 big handfuls)

• 2–3 Tbsp olive oil (or half olive oil, half ghee)

• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced

• 1 orange zest + segments (or peel and slice)

• ⅓ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

• Sea salt + black pepper

• 2–3 oz goat cheese, crumbled (optional )

For the Warm Citrus–Dijon Dressing

• Warm shallots from the pan (below)

• 3 Tbsp olive oil 

• Zest + juice of ½ the orange

• 1 Tbsp champagne vinegar

• 1–2 tsp dijon mustard

• 1–2 tsp maple syrup, to taste

• Sea salt + pepper

Directions

1. Toast the walnuts.

Add walnuts to a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until aromatic.
Set aside.

2. Sauté the fennel.

In the same skillet, warm 1–2 Tbsp of the oil/ghee.
Add sliced fennel with a pinch of salt.
Cook 5–7 minutes, until softened and lightly golden.

Remove the fennel to a bowl.

3. Warm the radicchio.

Add another splash of oil if needed.
Add the sliced radicchio and cook 2–3 minutes until just wilted.
Add it to the bowl with the fennel.

4. Make the warm dressing.

Still using the same skillet (heat turned to low):
Add the shallot and saute gently for 2–3 minutes.

Turn off the heat and whisk in:

• orange zest

• orange juice

• champagne vinegar

• dijon

• maple

• salt + pepper

Taste and adjust, add more vinegar for brightness, more maple for balance, or more dijon for silkiness.

This dressing should be warm, not hot.

5. Assemble the salad.

Pour the warm dressing over the fennel + radicchio.

Immediately add the arugula and toss gently so it softens just slightly from the residual warmth.

Add the orange segments.

Top with toasted walnuts  and goat cheese.

Gently toss.

Serve immediately while warm.