Roasted Fennel with Grapefruit and Orange
This vibrant side dish highlights fennel’s natural sweetness by roasting it until caramelized, then pairing it with bright, juicy segments of grapefruit and orange. A citrus-Dijon vinaigrette—made from the squeezed scraps of the fruit—adds tang and depth while keeping the dish refreshingly light. Finished with feathery fennel fronds for aroma and color, it’s distinctive for its balance of sweet, bitter, and zesty flavors and its elegant, Mediterranean-inspired simplicity.
Ingredients:
- 2 large bulbs fennel with fronds attached
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) plus 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 orange
- 1 grapefruit
- 1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F (204 C).
Remove fronds off the fennel bulbs and reserve. Slice the bulbs in half and then cut each section into 4 quarters, keeping the wedges intact at the core. Toss in 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil and place on a baking tray with parchment paper. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove the peel and pith from the orange and grapefruit. Remove the segments from both using a paring knife.
Squeeze juice out of scraps from the orange and grapefruit into a bowl or mason jar. Add salt, pepper, Dijon, and olive oil and whisk together to emulsify.
Remove fennel from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle sauce over the fennel and garnish with orange and grapefruit segments and fennel fronds.