Orange Fennel Water Food

ORANGE-FENNEL WATER

Steps:

• Place 1 thinly sliced orange and the coarsely chopped stalks and fronds from 1 bulb fennel in a pitcher. For still infused water, add 2 quarts of water. For sparkling water, add 1 quart of seltzer during prep and a second quart just before serving. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours to allow the ingredients to infuse. Stir well and strain, discarding the solids. For serving, add fresh fennel, fronds and orange slices for garnish and plenty of ice. The infused water will keep refrigerated for up to 2 days.

ORANGE FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Cut the fronds from the fennel bulbs and reserve some of the feathery leaves for later. Cut each fennel bulb in half and remove the cores with a sharp knife.
• Fit a food processor with the thinnest slicing blade. Cut the fennel bulbs into wedges and place horizontally into the feed tube. Process in batches. Peel each orange, remove the pith with a knife, and slice. Set aside.
• For the dressing: Whisk together the oil, juice, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a small bowl. Place the fennel slices, oranges slices and arugula in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss together. Sprinkle with salt and add some fennel fronds for decoration.

WARM OLIVES WITH FENNEL AND ORANGE

Steps:

• Place olives in medium bowl. Cover with 2 cups water; let stand 10 minutes. Drain.
• Combine olives, oil, thyme, garlic, fennel seeds, and orange peel in small skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until garlic is fragrant and oil is hot, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vinegar. Cool slightly; serve warm.

GRILLED OLIVE-ORANGE-FENNEL FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve the honey in 1-1/2 cups lukewarm water.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour, yeast, and salt on low speed for 2 minutes.
• With the mixer running, gradually add the HONEY WATER and the olive oil.
• Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth yet slightly tacky to the touch, about 5 minutes. If the dough seems too wet, add MORE flour, 1 teaspoon at a time.
• Return to low speed and mix for 2 minutes more.
• Let the dough REST in the mixer bowl for 5 minutes and then turn the mixer to medium-high speed and mix for 3 minutes more, as the dough vigorously slaps against the sides of the bowl.
• Lightly oil a large bowl.
• Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn the dough to coat it with the oil.
• Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
• Using a vegetable peeler, peel four 1x4-inch strips of orange zest, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible.
• Juice the orange and reserve 1/4 cup of the juice.
• Put the orange zest in an 8-inch skillet and cover with the olive oil.
• Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and simmer until the edges of the peel start to frizzle, about 4 minutes total.
• Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Remove the orange zest from the oil and drain on paper towels.
• RESERVE the orange-infused oil.
• While the oil is cooling, soak the coarsely ground fennel in the orange juice for 15 minutes.
• Drain and discard the orange juice (or use to make vinaigrette with some of the orange-infused olive oil).
• Finely chop the strips of zest and, in a small bowl, combine with the olives and soaked fennel.
• In another small bowl, mix the sea salt with the fennel powder.
• With lightly floured hands, gently deflate the dough.
• Add the olive mixture to the top of the dough, and using a plastic bowl scraper, reach down to the bottom of the bowl and gently fold the dough onto itself 4 times, rotating the bowl with each fold, to incorporate the mixture.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, stretch slightly to form a log, and cut into 6 equal pieces.
• Shape each piece into a ball by gently stretching and tucking the dough underneath itself to form a "belly button" on the bottom.
• Gently roll in the palm of your hand to reshape into a uniform ball, then set each ball, belly button side down, on a well-floured baking sheet.
• Lightly brush each top with olive oil.
• Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare a medium gas grill fire or a charcoal fire with a hot zone and a cool zone (an oven thermometer placed over the hot zone should register about 450°F). Brush the grill grates with a stiff brush, then wipe with a lightly oiled wad of paper towels.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out or press and stretch each piece of dough with your fingertips until about 1/4 inch thick and about 8 inches in diameter.
• Put the flatbreads on 2 lightly floured baking sheets and lightly brush the tops of the dough with the reserved orange-infused olive oil, being careful not to get oil on the baking sheet.
• Put the flatbreads oiled side down on the grill (over the hot zone of the charcoal fire), cover, and cook until puffed and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. (It seems like you could do it on top of stove.).
• Flip the flatbreads and turn the burners of a gas grill down to low (or move the breads over the cool zone of the charcoal grill), and brush the grill-marked side with more of the oil.
• Cover and finish cooking until the bottoms are golden and the breads are cooked through, about 3 minutes more.
• Transfer the breads to a cutting board, drizzle with more of the oil, and sprinkle with the sea salt mixture-you may not use it all.
• Cut each into halves or wedges and serve warm.

ORANGE-FENNEL-OLIVE RELISH

Steps:

• Grate 1 teaspoon orange zest, then remove peel and pith from oranges. Holding fruit above a bowl, use a small paring knife to cut between membranes and remove segments. Squeeze 1 tablespoon juice from membranes into a bowl.
• Cut segments into bite-size pieces; add to bowl with fennel, olives, mint leaves, and oil. Season with salt and pepper; serve.

ORANGE, FENNEL & ROCKET SALAD

Steps:

• Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, shred the fennel into thin slices.
• Remove the skin of the oranges with a knife and gently cut out the segments. Do this over a bowl to catch all the juice for the dressing. Squeeze any excess from the oranges after they have been segmented.
• Tip the onion into a bowl with the fennel, orange segments and rocket leaves.
• To make the dressing, combine the juice from the oranges with the olive oil and mustard. Drizzle over the salad and serve.

ORANGE-BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• With a large knife, cut each fennel bulb lengthwise into four slices. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat butter and oil until sizzling. Lay fennel slices in skillet; cook, turning once, until browned, about 5 minutes per side.
• Pour orange juice over fennel; season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until fennel is tender, about 15 minutes. Add wine, and continue cooking until fennel is very tender and sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper, as desired, and serve warm.

ORANGE AND FENNEL POACHED SOLE

Steps:

• In a skillet boil the orange juice, the wine, and the vinegar with the shallots, the fennel seeds, and the zest, shaking the skillet, until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add the water, bring the mixture to a boil, and in it poach the sole, covered, at a bare simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the sole with a slotted spatula to 2 plates and keep it warm, covered. Boil the poaching liquid until it is reduced to about 1/3 cup, remove the skillet from the heat, and swirl in the butter. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and pour it through a fine sieve over the sole.