Fennel Orange Salad with Barramundi

I feel like I've been doing nothing but homework for 4 days. On Sunday, we leave to Ten Sleep Canyon, WY to camp and climb for a week. So I need to get all my work for this and next week done plus packing and stuff. Sam's doing the Tough Mudder on Saturday before we go! After surviving the Spartan Race, I'm so glad I didn't sign up for that. Anyway, posting this is a nice break from schoolwork.

This salad is refreshing and full of flavor. I pan fried some Barramundi, a sustainable white fish, to go on top. Any white fish will do. The fennel bulb does not taste strong and savory like it's seed. It's very crisp and tastes like slightly spicy celery. Sort of like a radish, but not, 'cause I do not like radishes. It goes great with citrus. I wanted to add something red and sweet, like beets or strawberries. All I had was a plum, so I threw it in. Next time I make this I will add some sliced roasted (not steamed) beets. If you've got some, try it. Don't leave out the toasted almonds! They are one of the best parts of this dish. This may seem like a lot of steps, but it only took 30 minutes to make. 
You'll need 3 small oranges total. Or use 2 large oranges and just juice half of 1 or juice the whole thing and have less orange slices. 

Fennel Orange Salad with Pan Fried Barramundi - Makes 2 very large dinner salads


Salad Ingredients
Baby Spinach 
1/2 cucumber, sliced into thin matchsticks
1 carrot, shredded 
1 beet, roasted & cooled, sliced - optional
1 fennel bulb   --->
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds, dry toasted
2 small oranges, zested then cut in sections- Organic! You're using the peel.

Pan-fried Barramundi Ingredients
2 barramundi fillets
1/4 small onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons garlic
Sea Salt, pepper &Paprika, sprinkled
1 Tablespoon coconut oil

Dressing Ingredients
1 orange, juiced (plus zest from 2 oranges) 
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup packed cilantro, chopped
1/8 cup packed parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoon onion, diced (or shallot)
Sea salt and pepper

Prepare Dressing
 - Zest 2 oranges (don't over zest, you just want the top very-
   orange layer) with a microplane or fine grater.
- Combine the zest with the orange juice, olive oil, cilantro, parsley, diced onion and some 
   salt and pepper. Set aside.

Prepare Salad:
 - Combine baby spinach, carrot, cucumber and beet in salad bowls
 - Prepare the fennel by removing the bottom end and the first outer layer which probably 
   browned. Cut in half and remove the core. Slice up the rest and add it to the salad bowls. 
- Prepare oranges by slicing off the top and bottom peel with a parring knife. Then slice 
  the rest of the peel off in strips, like pictured. Cut out the orange sections and toss them in 
  the salad.            

Prepare Fish:

-  Heat coconut oil in a large pan on medium and add the onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the fish and garlic. Sprinkle the fillets with salt, pepper and paprika. Cook 3-5 for 
  minutes then flip. Sprinkle the other side with salt, pepper and paprika and cook 3-5 
  minutes more, until done. 
- Toast almonds: In a dry pan on medium-high heat toast the chopped almonds, stirring often. 
  Watch these very carefully. I burn mine all the time. Once they're fragrant, give them a few 
  quick tosses and they're done. (If I'm careful I can toast them while cooking the fish)

Finally: Top the salads with the fish and cooked onions and sprinkle with toasted almonds and dressing.

So Yummy!