CA GROWN Blog
Discover. Learn. Connect.
Mandarin, Fennel, and Burrata Salad – Vy Tran, Beyond Sweet & Savory
Meet Them Here
Read Bios »Mandarin, Fennel, and Burrata Salad – Vy Tran, Beyond Sweet & Savory
This refreshing Mandarin, Fennel, and Burrata Salad from our friend Vy Tran of Beyond Sweet and Savory packs tons of flavor. All the ingredients play well together and every bite is loaded with creamy burrata, anise-flavored fennel, a bright note of citrus, and an oniony kick from the chive blossoms.
From Vy –
Having grown up in California for most of my life and having a love for locally grown fruits and veggies instilled by my parents, buying California Grown produce is important to me. Over the past two decades, I have become friends with local farmers and gained the utmost respect for their work in producing quality, seasonal ingredients for the community. It’s incredibly important to me to not only support the work of local farmers but to also reduce the carbon footprint. I’m so excited to share this Mandarin, Fennel, and Burrata Salad recipe with you!
This mandarin salad requires only a handful of ingredients that you can find at the grocery store all year long.
About the salad ingredients:
California Mandarins
Mandarin oranges are grown mainly in California, where citrus trees thrive in the warm climate. With temperature ranges of 60 to 90°F, plenty of rain, and a lengthy period of heat throughout the summer, citrus flourish and pick up their sweet flavor and vibrant color.
For more citrus recipes: https://californiagrown.org/recipes/california-citrus-recipe-roundup/
Fennel is such an easy-to-grow root vegetable that it’s considered a roadside weed in California. A native to the Mediterranean area, fennel flourish in the warm climate of California. All parts of fennel, from bulb to fronds to seeds, are edible. The bulb has a similar texture to celery and can be thinly sliced and roasted, sautéed, or boiled while the frond can be minced and added to dishes like fresh herbs.
California olive oil originated from Franciscan monks in the 18th century who planted olives at each of the missions established between San Diego and Sonoma. The olive oils are produced from a selection of over 75 olive varieties which lend an incredible spectrum of flavors. Olive oil is always in season in California and a great staple for your pantry.
How to prep ingredients for this Mandarin, Fennel, and Burrata Salad
To get the best flavor from the salad, slice the fennel as thin as possible using a mandolin or very sharp knife. For the mandarins, cut them into ¼ inch rounds.
To bring the salad together, whisk up a quick vinaigrette of mandarin juice, zest, olive oil, honey, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Dress the salad and enjoy!
Enjoy it as a light lunch, a wonderful starter for dinner, or pack it for a gathering. Effortless and full of flavor, this mandarin salad adds a vibrant touch to your table all year long.
Here are even more of Vy’s delicious recipes to try!
Gluten Free Mandarin Tart
This gluten free mandarin tart has a wonderful citrus flavor from the mandarin curd. It contrasts a sweet, nutty walnut crust.
Charred Octopus Salad with Tomatoes & Mint
This charred octopus salad with tomatoes and mint makes a light summer meal with tender octopus, vibrant tomatoes, refreshing mint, and spicy Aleppo pepper.
Passion Fruit Ice Cream
Refreshing and delightfully tangy, this passion fruit ice cream makes a sensational summer treat.
Vietnamese Pickled Mustard Greens
Vietnamese pickled mustard greens have a distinctive tanginess and crunchy texture from lacto-fermentation. That makes for a great side dish for many braised dishes.
Meyer Lemon Bars with Almond Shortbread Crust
These Meyer lemon bars don’t last very long when we bring them to potlucks or serve them at the end of a casual meal. They are slightly tart, sweet, and delicate all in the same bite. I love the luscious filling with burst of lemon flavor and buttery crust that barely holds together. Peak season for Meyer lemons runs from November until March. Grab them while you can and make these delicious lemon bars.
Vy is a clinical pharmacist by day, and an avid home cook in the evenings and weekends. Her blog, Beyond Sweet and Savory, documents her family’s recipes and culinary experiments. Vy immigrated to the United States from Vietnam when she was ten. Growing up, she ate primarily Vietnamese cuisine until college where she was introduced to a vast array of global flavors. This new-found love of all kinds of foods gave her an even deeper appreciation for her mom’s home cooked meals. Vy was inspired to learn to cook the traditional Vietnamese foods she missed so much.
Burrata, Fennel & Mandarin Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 fennel bulb with fronds attached
- 4 mandarins
- 6 ounces fresh burrata
- 5 chive blossoms for garnish optional
For the vinaigrette:
- Zest of 1 mandarin
- ¼ cup mandarin juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette, whisk together mandarin juice, zest, olive oil, honey, and sherry vinegar. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Cut the fennel fronds from the fennel and set aside.
- Slice the fennel real thin to the thickness of a quarter using a mandolin or very sharp knife.
- To assemble, transfer fennel and mandarin to a serving plate. Place burrata in the middle. Dress salad with vinaigrette. Garnish with chive blossoms and fennel fronds. Serve immediately.