RADICCHIO, PEAR, AND FENNEL SALAD WITH ANISE ORANGE DRESSING

Radicchio, Pear, and Fennel Salad with Anise Orange Dressing image

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

For dressing
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon anise seeds, coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee/spice grinder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For salad
1 (1 1/4-lb) fennel bulb (sometimes called anise; preferably with fronds), quartered lengthwise
2 pears
1 3/4 lb radicchio (2 medium heads), thinly sliced

Steps:

Make dressing:
Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a large bowl until combined well.
Make salad:
Tear enough fennel fronds, if using, into small sprigs to measure 1/2 cup. Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and discard stalks. Cut out and discard core of bulb, then cut bulb lengthwise into thin strips. Peel and core pears, then cut into 3-inch-long matchsticks. Add fennel strips and fronds to dressing along with pears and radicchio and toss well.