A Sicilian Reverie of Oranges, Fennel, and the Taste of Elegance
“We were the Leopards, the Lions; those who’ll take our place will be little jackals, hyenas…”
— The Leopard, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
In the sun-drenched pages of The Leopard, Sicily breathes with grandeur, decay, and a stubborn, golden beauty. This salad is a tribute to that enduring elegance—a meeting of brightness and bitterness, nobility and earth. Inspired by the traditional Insalata d’Arance, this version adds depth and intrigue: a velvet-rich dressing of tahini and anchovy, mint-kissed and punctuated by pistachio, poured generously over sweet citrus and licorice-scented fennel. It’s a dish fit for a princely luncheon in a crumbling Palermo villa, a meal to be savored slowly, with poetry and sunlight.
Description
This Sicilian-inspired salad combines sweet orange segments with crisp fennel, briny olives, and a rich, creamy dressing made with tahini, anchovies, and fresh mint. The result is a refreshing yet satisfying dish that balances sweetness, saltiness, and a hint of bitterness. Topped with roasted pistachios for crunch, it’s perfect as a light main or as a side dish to grilled fish.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
For the Dressing:
Instructions
- Prepare the salad base:
Using a sharp knife, cut away the peel and white pith from the oranges. Carefully extract the segments (suprêmes) by cutting between the membranes. Thinly slice the fennel bulb. In a large salad dish, gently mix the orange segments and fennel slices by hand. Scatter the olives on top. - Make the dressing:
In a small food processor or blender, combine the orange juice, anchovy filets, tahini, olive oil, mint leaves, and pistachio nuts. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. - Assemble:
Drizzle the dressing generously over the salad. Top with the roasted pistachios and a few fennel fronds for an elegant finish.
Tip : Once you’ve extracted the orange segments, squeeze the remaining matter in your hands to extract the juice – you’ll use it next in the dressing
Notes
- This salad is best enjoyed chilled or at room temperature. It pairs beautifully with grilled fish—try it alongside skewers of grilled sardines or a simply prepared sea bream for a true taste of the Mediterranean.
A Note from The Literary Kitchen
I imagine this salad gracing the table of Prince Fabrizio, served as the afternoon light filters through lace curtains. It’s a dish that celebrates contrast—sweet and salty, rich and refreshing—just like The Leopard itself. If you make your own version, I’d love to see it!
Share your creation on Instagram with the hashtag #RitualOfReadingFood and tag @ritual_of_reading. Let’s gather our variations like a table of characters, each with their own delicious story.
Written by Alexandra Poppy
Writer, reader & curator of The Ritual of Reading
I’m Alexandra, the voice behind The Ritual of Reading. Somewhere between a stack of novels and a half-finished pot of tea, I keep finding traces of the life I want to live—slower, richer, filled with stories. The Ritual of Reading is where I gather what I love: books that linger, places with a past, and rituals that make ordinary days feel a little more meaningful. I write from Paris, where elegant bookshops and old-fashioned cafés offer endless inspiration—and I share it here, hoping it brings a spark to your own days, too.
