Kumquat and Fennel Salad

Thanks so much to the Sacramento Bee for their nod to Stealth Cooking in Wednesday's Food and Wine Section. They included an excerpt from last week's Philly style meatball sandwich as "a sample of the best of the current food and dining blogs." How nice is that?

It's the end of kumquat season here, but I managed to find a few fresh, local kumquats at the farmer's market. The vendor had a branch hanging with some of the fruits attached, so I've included a photo because I think they're so beautiful. Today, I mixed them up with some fennel and pistachios, then tossed them together with some baby spinach. Add dressing, and voila, both beautiful and tasty!

Ingredients:
8 kumquats
1/2 bulb fennel
2 Tbs pistachio nuts
8 handfuls baby spinach
8 tsp citrus dressing

Directions:
Cut whole kumquats in half, lengthwise. Squeeze gently, hard enough so the seeds pop out, but gently enough so the juice stays in the kumquat. Cut each kumquat half into slivers, or any shape of smaller pieces, just make sure to keep the rind on the kumquat, as it's the sweetest part. Cut the fennel bulb in half lengthwise, then cut off the root end, and the fronds. Save the fronds and half of the fennel bulb for another use. Cut the remaining half again lengthwise, then slice crosswise into small sections. Arrange 2 handfuls of spinach for each serving. Top with 1/4 of the kumquat pieces, 1/4 of the fennel, and 1/4 of the pistachio nuts. Dress each salad with 2 tsp of citrus dressing.

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: You can also use fennel fronds in the salad - they provide a nice, airy texture to your salad, and might also be a new topic of conversation. Not sure if you like the taste of fennel or it's fronds? Fennel itself tastes like a cross between licorice and celery - crunchy with flavor. The fronds are light and airy, with a grassy taste similar to parsley. Take a bite before you put it in your salad, that way you'll really know your ingredients.