I don’t know about you guys, but I’m already starting to feel like I’ve overindulged this holiday season. And to boot, I’ve also got the expat-visiting-home attitude of “ohmyGod, I need to eat all of my favorite foods as much as possible because I’ve missed them so much and I don’t know when I’ll get to eat them again.” Chipotle twice a week is no problem. Cheeseburgers and onion rings? REAL hot dogs? American breakfast? Great Lakes Brewery Christmas Ale? Yes, please! I’ve been having a hard time saying “no” these days. As a result though, I’m feeling a bit . . . fluffy (to borrow Carla’s very sweet and adorable synonym for pudgy). We’ve still got over two weeks until Christmas, but the festivities don’t stop until after New Year’s! I’m trying to eat healthier when I get the chance, and this fennel, roasted beet and grapefruit salad is a perfect way to do so. It’s something a little different than your average salad and it’s sooo pretty! The wine-colored roasted beets and grapefruit supremes look like little jewels nestled in the shaved fennel; I love it. Then the flavors and textures! Sweet/tart grapefruit that pops in your mouth, earthy beets, and the crunchy raw fennel. 
If you need a quick tutorial on how to supreme citrus fruit, check out this YouTube video. It’s a great skill to learn; don’t be intimidated! It makes eating citrus fruit so much more enjoyable, especially if you have the stringy, tough membranes as much as I do.
- 1 head fennel
- 3 red beets
- 1 grapefruit (pink or white)
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon (optional if you would like a more acidic dressing)
- flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
- freshly ground pepper
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the greens off the beets and cut them in half. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and roast them in the oven for 45-60 minutes, until you can spear them with a fork with little resistance.
- Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the salad. Trim the stalks off the fennel bulb and reserve the fronds if they are tender and flavorful (sadly, mine were not!). Remove the tough outer layer of the fennel bulb (if necessary). Cut the bulb in half through the root end. Use a mandoline to shave the fennel into thin pieces. Drop them into an ice water bath to keep them crisp until ready to serve the salad.
- Cut the grapefruit into supremes and squeeze the remaining membrane for juice. Set aside the juice.
- When the beets are done roasting, peel the skin from them and cut into small 1/2 inch pieces.
- Drain the fennel and plate it on a dish or a small bowl. Arrange the beet pieces and supremes on the fennel.
- Drizzle a few tablespoons of grapefruit juice over the salad. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over the salad. Add a squeeze of lemon juice if you would like the dressing more acidic. Sprinkle a bit of salt over the salad and grind some fresh pepper over it, to taste.
- If your fennel fronds were tender, chop some up and sprinkle over the top of the salad to add a bit of green garnish.
- Enjoy!
