Blood oranges are more than just a pretty face. In addition to their dramatic colour, which ranges from sunset pink to deep crimson, they have a floral perfume and a complex flavour that offers a hint of raspberries.

Despite costing two to three times the price of regular oranges, they are more than worth it.

Their colour comes from a pigment called anthocyanin, which is found in red and purple flowers and fruits such as berries. Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants, which are believed to help fight cancer and aging.

A decade ago, most blood oranges in Toronto arrived from Italy. They were a type called Tarocco, and while they were juicy and sweet, their colour didn't always live up to the name, especially early in the season.

Now blood oranges come almost exclusively from Sunkist farms in California. They are a type called Moro, known for their striking colour. The season runs from Christmas to May, but I find the tastiest oranges are the first of the season, so it's best to enjoy them now.

Oranges, blood or otherwise, have a natural affinity for the liquorice flavour of fennel. Together they star in a refreshing winter salad from Sicily.

This salad is an awesome blend of tastes and textures - crunchy fennel, juicy oranges, briny olives, sharp onion and herbaceous mint. It could be served as antipasti or a first course, but it would also cleanse and refresh the palate after a heavy main course such as a hearty winter braise.

Fennel and blood orange salad with olives and mint

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 fennel bulb

3 blood oranges

16 briny black olives

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (optional)

3 tbsp chopped mint

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more if desired

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove the stalks, feathery fronds and first outer layer of the fennel bulb and save for vegetable stock or discard. (The outer layer tends to be too tough to serve raw, but it could be used in a cooked dish.) Cut the bulb in half lengthwise. Using a mandolin, shave paper-thin slices of each half, keeping the cut side of the half perpendicular to the mandoline.

Slice a thin piece off the top and bottom of each orange. Place them on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, peel each orange making sure there is no white pith remaining. Slice each orange into five rounds.

On a round or oval platter, make a layer of the shaved fennel. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Top with the blood orange slices, dot with the olives and sprinkle with the onion and mint. Drizzle with more olive oil if desired. Serve.