From the Phoenicians, North Africans inherited the Persian technique of combining meat and fruit. Meals are often accentuated with pickled lemons (salted, fermented and agedlemons), which serves as part relish and part vegetable.
Ingredients to Serve 4
1 Teaspoon Coriander seeds
1 Teaspoon Celery seeds
½ Teaspoon Caraway seeds
½ Teaspoon Red chili flakes
½ Teaspoon Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon Superfine sugar
1 teaspoon Orange blossom water
½ Cup Freshly squeezed orange juice
2 bulbs Fennel
1 Large Celery stalk, thinly sliced on a bias
1 Cup Fresh flat leaf parley, stems removed
1 small Preserved lemon, washed and thinly cut
12 Small Cured black olives
3 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
1 large Navel Orange, cut into segments
To prepare the seasoning mixture:
Using a spice grinder, pulse the coriander, celery and caraway seed to roughly grind. Pour into a small bowl. Whisk in the chili flakes, salt, sugar, orange blossom water and orange juice. Set aside.
To prepare the salad:
Clean and trim the fennel bulbs. Reserve about ½ cup of the frawns.Shave the bulb finely using a Japanese mandoline. In a large bowl toss together the fennel, celery, parley leaves, preserved lemons and olives. Dress this with the spiced orange juice.
To serve:
Arrange the fennel frawns on a large platter. Place the salad in the center of the platter. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with the orange segments.
Peel all of the oranges, being careful to remove the pith. Cut two of the oranges into cubes and add them to the carrots. The other two oranges will be cut crosswise into 6 circles, and reserved.
To prepare the dressing:
In a large bowl, mix the orange juice, lemon juice, ginger, orange blossom water, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour the juice mixture over the carrots and oranges. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To serve:
Arrange the sliced oranges along the edge of a large clear glass plate, mound the carrot salad in the center. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.