Carpaccio. Classically Italian. Thin slices of raw meat or fish traditionally marinated in lemon and olive oil. Dressed with a simple salad. Elegant and refreshing. So very easy to prepare. The quality of the ingredients used definitely shines through. No cooking required. Raw food at its very best.

This week the markets were awash with bulbs of crisp fennel and fragrant, juicy blood oranges. The perfect accompaniment for a snapper carpaccio. The perfect solution for a fast day meal. Light, healthy and very low in calories. The flavours are incredible. So delicious. To be savoured to the very last bite.

Citrus Carpaccio of Snapper With a Fennel and Blood Orange Salad
You will need to begin this recipe one day ahead.
Serves 2 (364 calories per serve)

For the Citrus Carpaccio of Snapper
2 x 225g fillets of snapper, sashimi grade, skin attached (450 calories)
2 blood oranges (140 calories)
¼ cup salt (0 calories)
2 tablespoons picked fennel fronds, chopped (1 calorie)

For the Salad
1 cup shaved fennel, fronds reserved for garnish (27 calories)
1 blood orange (70 calories)
1 teaspoon olive oil (40 calories)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Citrus Carpaccio of Snapper
ZEST and juice the oranges.
REMOVE the blood line from the fillets and remove any fine bones.
PLACE the fillets skin side down in a glass or ceramic baking dish.
COMBINE  orange zest, fennel fronds and half the salt in a small bowl. Scatter evenly over the fillets.
POUR over orange juice and the remaining salt. Ensure that both fillets are covered by cure. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 – 24 hours.
WHEN ready to serve remove the fish from the cure. Pat dry with paper towel.
SLICE the fillets across the grain into paper thin slices, as you would a side of smoked salmon. Discard the skin.

For the Salad
SLICE the fennel very thinly using a mandolin or sharp knife.
USE a sharp, thin bladed knife to segment the blood orange. Slice off the top and bottom of the orange to expose the fruit. Working in sections and starting at the top, pare off both the peel and layer of  bitter white pith, running the blade along the curvature of the fruit. Once all the peel and pith has been removed,  release each segment by slicing towards the center of the fruit along each of the membranes. Place the slivers of blood orange segments into a bowl. Squeeze out the residual juice from the empty membranes into a cup.
ARRANGE thin slices of citrus cured snapper over the base of a serving platter.
TOSS the blood orange segments with the fennel. Drizzle with the olive oil and a little of the reserved blood orange juice. Season with sea salt and pepper.
SCATTER the blood orange and fennel salad over the snapper. Garnish with fennel fronds and a little orange zest.