My Father-in-Law's Favorite Salad

...or at least it's his favorite salad that I make! I've made it several times and it's always a hit. I love the sweetness of the oranges with the crispness of the raw fennel - yum!

Ingredients:

½ small shallot, roughly chopped

1 T Dijon

1 T sherry or red wine vinegar

1 small lemon, juiced

1-2 T honey

salt and pepper, to taste

1/3 c olive oil

1 head butter lettuce, torn into bite size pieces

1-2 bunches arugula, torn into bite size pieces

2 oranges, peeled and segmented

½ can hearts of palm, drained and sliced

1 fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced with some fronds reserved for garnish

Directions:

For the dressing, combine shallot, Dijon, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse to combine and while the motor is running, add in the olive oil in a slow drizzle. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Refrigerate for several hours for flavors to marry.

When ready to serve, combine lettuce and arugula. Squeeze the extra orange juice from the discarded membranes into the dressing and stir to combine. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Plate the lettuces. Top with orange segments, sliced hearts of palm and fennel. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds.