Quinoa, Fennel and Pomegranate Salad

My love affair with the food of Ottolenghi has not waned. In fact, each time I make a dish of his, I only love him more...

I was in the vegetable aisle of Trader Joe's the other day and I saw something that made me happy! Pomegranate seeds in a little plastic container... out of season! This little miracle makes several of our favorite dishes possible year-round.

For starters, there are chiles en nogada, which we make in the autumn, the beginning of the pomegranate season. And there are several holiday dishes that call for these jewel-like seeds, notably a festive guacamole with avocados, mangoes and pomegranate seeds.

But this weekend, I had two fennel bulbs on hand and quinoa in the cupboard. And, I had the memory of a recipe by Ottolenghi that was published in Bon Appétit in January 2012 from the article I mentioned before called 'The New Veg.'

I thought that this would make a nice light salad for our lunch, and I was right. The combination of flavors is really terrific, although I broke my general rule and made a few changes from the original without having tried it first as written.

Here is what I did: I substituted orange segments for the lemon, but I think if I had a Meyer lemon that would be a good compromise. And I left out the serrano chile, because I wasn't in the mood for spicy. I also added in a couple tablespoons of the chopped fennel fronds,as I hate to waste them. Although they look like the dill, they just add a bit more fennel taste.

The herb combination is really important, and I think the dill adds so much more than I ever thought it would, especially combined with the mint.

If you can get pomegranate seeds, I recommend this for a light lunch or as a side dish for dinner. It is beautiful, flavorful and healthy.

Roll on summer!

~ David

Quinoa, Fennel and Pomegranate Salad

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium fennel bulbs (2 1/2 pounds), cut lengthwise into 1/4"-thick slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 orange
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fennel; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel is just tender and lightly golden, 10–12 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, cumin, and sugar; cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring quinoa and 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain; return to pan. Cover; let sit for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork; transfer to a large bowl.

Using a small sharp knife, cut all peel and white pith from orange. Cut between membranes to release segments into a bowl with juices. Squeeze the membrane for any remaining juice. Add orange segments with juices and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to quinoa; stir. Add fennel mixture, chile, and herbs. Toss gently to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer salad to a platter; sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Serves 4.

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