Spring Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Spring! Yes! It's here! Finally! While all my son can think about is the Easter Bunny, I just get excited at all the new fresh produce this season brings.

One of them is fennel. I absolutely love its anise-like flavor. Fennel can be eaten raw or cooked. I usually saute thin slices of fennel in a pan coated with olive oil, then pour some balsamic vinegar on top and let it all caramelize for about 30 minutes. It's a perfect side to any white fish.

Another one is radish. Closely related to mustard, it is a pungent root vegetable. Make sure you give it a thorough wash.

I simply can't get enough of this salad (good thing it's super healthy!). I love how the sweet fennel and fresh oranges balance the peppery notes of the arugula and radishes. I love the crunch from the fennel and radishes, versus the soft greens and the juicy oranges. I love the contrast of colors: green, pink, white and orange. Remember: eat the rainbow!

Makes 4 servings

Salad

• 4 cups arugula (or watercress), cleaned = 4 portions de feuilles de roquette (ou cresson)
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced = 1 petit fenouil, coupé en fines lamelles
• 2 oranges, peeled and sliced = 2 oranges, épluchées et coupées en rondelles ou sections
• a few radishes, thoroughly cleaned and thinly sliced = quelques radis, bien nettoyés et coupés en fines lamelles

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice = 2 cuillères à soupe de jus de citron
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil = 2 cuillères à soupe d'huile d'olive
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard = ½ cuillère à café de moutarde forte
• ½ teaspoon maple syrup = ½ cuillère à café de sirop d'érable
• dash of sea salt = une pincée de sel
• dash of freshly ground black pepper = une pincée de poivre

Place the first 4 ingredients in a bowl (or four separate smaller serving dishes).
For the dressing, combine lemon juice and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle dressing over salad. Enjoy!