Fight the winter produce blahs with a bright mandarin and fennel salad

I shuffled across a gritty, icy parking lot to the store on a recent Sunday and found that a shipment must have been late because there were no eggs or milk or ground beef. I sought inspiration in the produce section, but the locusts had come through, leaving behind droopy celeries, spongy cucumbers and roughed-up broccoli. There were, however, lots of oranges — navels, mandarins — still in great shape. And one lonely bulb of winter fennel.

Sometimes, in January, fresh grocery vibes get weird here. But you can always count on oranges. There are juicy navels and, if you’re lucky, pink-fleshed cara caras and the occasional blood orange. Sumos, those spendy little treats with springy juice sacs that pop in your mouth. And bright orange Blue Jay brand mandarins — I find them at Sagaya — that come with their leaves on. On occasion, you might also be able to get your hands on some Meyer lemons, which are not oranges, but still. I recently received a box of them from my family in California, picked from their tree, because they are from here and know just what kind of mood I was in.

And so I made a bright citrus salad to counter the flat gray light of this snowless January. Fennel, sweet and crunchy, shaved paper thin on a mandoline set to one-eighth — watch your fingers. A couple sliced tender-fleshed Blue Jays. Meyer lemon zest and juice. Fireweed honey and Dijon mustard. Thin-sliced manchego cheese from Costco — parm works too! — and a sprinkle of salty pistachios. Make this salad using the freshest oranges you can find of any variety, just remove the peel and pith. My dressing used Meyer lemons, but oranges work great. It looks beautiful on the plate, comes together quickly and pairs well with a simple roast chicken for a cheeky little weeknight meal. If you like, garnish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs like mint or parsley.

Mandarin-fennel salad with pistachios

Serves 4 as a side

Salad:

One bulb of fennel, stalk and root removed, shaved on the mandoline using the one-eighth setting or very thinly sliced, roughly 2 cups

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

3-4 cups baby arugula or other sturdy green

3-4 juicy mandarins peeled, sliced into thin rounds or two regular oranges, peeled, pith removed, and segmented

1/3 cup shelled salted pistachios, roughly chopped

About 1/4 cup manchego or parmesan cheese shavings, loosely packed

Dressing:

1/4 cup orange juice or a 50-50 mixture orange and Meyer lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Zest of one half of an orange or one whole Meyer lemon

1 large clove garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Black pepper

Method: In a small bowl, toss the very thin sliced fennel with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, set aside. Make the dressing. Whisk together juice(s), salt, zest, garlic, Dijon, honey, oil and a few cracks of pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. If you’d like to add a little additional acid, depending on the oranges you used, try a splash of champagne vinegar or regular lemon juice. On a large plate, layer arugula and softened fennel and then lay orange slices on top. Sprinkle with pistachios. Drizzle with dressing, reserving any extra for the table. Sprinkle with shaved cheese and additional pepper. Serve immediately.