Note: To slice the onion and fennel in the following salad into paper-thin spirals, we used a Japanese rotary device known as the Benriner vegetable slicer.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6

　　

For dressing:

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

　　2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

　　2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar

　　3/4 teaspoon salt

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 medium-large red onion

　　1 large fennel bulb (sometimes called anise, about 1 pound)

　　3 large navel oranges

　　1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

　　

Make Dressing:

Step 1

Heat a dry small heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot and toast coriander seeds, stirring, until fragrant and a little darker, about 2 minutes. With a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder or cleaned electric coffee grinder, grind coriander to a coarse powder. In a bowl, whisk together coriander and remaining dressing ingredients.Dressing may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered

　　

Step 2

With a Japanese rotary slicer or other thin-slicing device, slice onion crosswise into thin spirals or rings. In a bowl of ice and cold water, soak onion (separate rings if necessary) 15 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Trim stalks from fennel and with slicing device, thinly slice fennel bulb crosswise.

　　

Step 4

With a sharp knife, cut a slice from top and bottom of each orange to expose flesh and arrange cut side down on a cutting board. cutting from top to bottom, remove peel and pith. Cut oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

　　

Step 5

Drain onion well and pat dry between paper towels.

　　

Step 6

Arrange fennel, onion and orange decoratively on a platter and scatter with mint. Whisk dressing and drizzle over salad.