Alain Allegretti was on the Martha Stewart Show to teach us how to make a Trouchia or Swiss Chard Omelet Recipe, with a garnish of this blood orange and fennel salad recipe.  Martha pointed out that the fennel becomes a beautiful shade of pink from the juice of the blood orange segments, so I am thinking that this will be a great way to introduce fennel into the diet of little girl’s (since all of the little girl’s I know absolutely adore anything pink!).

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Alain Allegretti’s Recipe for Blood Orange & Fennel Salad:

Ingredients:
- 2 blood oranges
- 2 fennel bulbs (the white portion), sliced very thin
- 2 spring flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TB balsamic vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Supreme your blood orange segments by slicing off the top, bottom and sides (the peel) of the blood orange. Then carefully, with a small knife, cut out each segment of the blood orange, cutting as closely to the orange membrane as you can.
2.  Either slice the fennel very thin with a knife, or you can use Alain Allegretti’s shortcut of slicing your fennel with a Mandoline. Once you get a Mandoline, you won’t know what you did without one… Mandolines make cutting vegetables such a simple task!
3.  Mix together the fennel slices and chopped parsley in a large bowl.
4.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
5.  Toss the dressing with the fennel and parsley.
6.  Add the blood orange segments and toss gently.
7.  Serve as a garnish to a dish like Alain’s Trouchia or Swiss Chard Omelet Recipe