Monday, February 28, 2011

Do you have seasonal recipes that you forget to serve when the season rolls around?


Do you have seasonal recipes that you love and somehow, when the season rolls around, you forget to serve them? It happens to me more often that I’d like to admit and it took one of you to remind me.

Take this orange salad for instance. I had completely forgotten about it this winter until Chris of Nibble Me This participated in a Culinary Adventure Challenge recently and posted a version of this salad on his blog. He and his wife Alexis gobbled the salad down while he prepared perfectly cooked lamb chops, macaroni, and a Napa cabbage gratin that he says was crazy good to complete the challenge. I owe you Chris. This salad had completely slipped my mind.

Citrus salads are a great substitute for tomato salads when tomatoes are tasteless and not in season. If you’ve a frequent reader, you might remember this salad. I took it to a blogger get-together in Tennessee and later, two of my friends – Larry of Big Dude’s Eclectic Ramblings and Lea Ann of Cooking at the Ranch made versions of it. Larry served it with coconut shrimp and Lea Ann incorporated it into a camping trip. Now Chris has “kicked it up a notch” and used blood oranges (the glamour queen of oranges) and added feta cheese. All in all, this orange salad with its bit of sweet and spicy taste is a winner and goes with many different entrees.


It’s a hastily made, colorful salad that I found in one of Pierre Franey’s 60-Minute Gourmet cookbooks many years ago.  At our house, we call this “Pierre’s salad.” Pierre Franey was a French chef who ran the kitchen at Le Pavillon restaurant in New York City for years. Pierre went on to write newspaper columns for the New York Times, penned some of my favorite cookbooks, and work alongside his dear friend Craig Claiborne, who practically taught my generation how to cook along with Julia Child.

Salade d’Oranges et Olives Noires
Orange and black olive salad adapted from 60 Minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey

1 each large navel orange and tangelo, or two navel oranges
8 black imported black olives, cut in half (I used Kalamata)
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
½ teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 heaping teaspoon freshly chopped fresh rosemary (optional, but delightful)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Slivers of red onion
Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Trim off the ends of the orange and tangelo. Peel them, then cut into quarter inch slices, and put them in a mixing bowl. Add the olives.

Put the paprika, garlic, vinegar and oil, rosemary, salt and pepper in a jar with a tight lid and shake well to make vinaigrette. Pour the vinaigrette over the oranges and olives and toss well. Sprinkle with slivers of red onions, chopped fresh parsley, and serve. Easily doubled or tripled.

Do you have favorite dishes that you forget from time to time? Please tell me, because I need some reassurance that I’m not alone in this.

56 comments:

  1. That looks divine, Sam - and really healthy too when winter has us in its grip!

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  2. A delightful salad! So flavorful, fresh and healthy.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  3. This is a very refreshing classic Sam. It just perks up those winter days when tomatoes are less than wonderful as you mentioned.

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  4. I still have my 60 Minute Gourmet cookbook that I bought while in college!

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  5. Oh Yes! Classic and yummy no matter the season.

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  6. A delightful salad - i like the combo of oranges and olives!

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  7. This is a wonderful salad! I haven't made it since last summer and I too was reminded of it when Chris posted it. Actually it's on my menu for this week. Thanks for the shout out Sam.

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  8. Yum, I love savory orange salads! The combination of fresh oranges and raw onions alone is fantastic, but everything else in this sounds wonderful-thanks!

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  9. Simply awesome and I am loving every bit of it. Hope you're having a great week ahead, Sam. Enjoy!
    Blessings, Kristy

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  10. To first answer your question - with my CRS I even remember the what season it is, much less a seasonal recipe. The salad looks good again and thanks for the reminder - we have some good oranges. Also thanks for the mention.

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  11. I remember Pierre Franey, I used to watch his cooking show, I may even have his cookbook downstairs, I'll have to check! This salad looks delicious! I'll have to make it soon! Thanks for sharing!

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  12. I totally forget about foods we liked and then I make it again after a few years and it's new again. I should keep a log.

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  13. I may have to make this tonight! I always use fruit in my green salad when there are no decent tomatoes -- speaking of which, I forgot to make gazpacho last summer...

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  14. Yum! I've been craving citrus everything-I think it's my body's way of making me stay healthy during this flu season.

    I don't know that I forget seasonal stuff-but I do forget recipes. I saw a cake the other day and thought now I used to make that all the time-why did I ever stop?

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  15. I have never had orange salad, but this sounds delightful and refreshing...!

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  16. Sam, this citrus salad got my mouth watering :-) What a great combination of flavor with olive...so nicely presented. Have a great week ahead!

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  17. Yes, I do sometimes forget to serve cherished recipes. I think I'd have a hard time forgetting about this salad though. The dressing sounds delicious and rosemary is the last of the herbs left wintering on the kitchen cabinet. Come on spring!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  18. Uhm, uhm, Sam! I can taste it. And your are correct, we forget about seasonal recipes. Right now in our local Market of Choice, 3 for $1.00 ruby red grapefruits, so time to look for a simple recipe.

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  19. Such a great tip of using fresh citrus fruit in place of tomatoes in salads. Strawberries are my favorite seasonal fruit. In New York, they're in season from late May to June. It's such a favorite treat, I'm afraid to buy them, because I'm waiting to use them in a special recipe. Then when the season is almost over, I've realized I haven't simply enjoyed them.

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  20. How could anyone forget such a lovely salad? I like the fact that this citrus treat chases the winter blues away!

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  21. Sam, love this post. So happy to read your mention of le pavillon and your brief bio of Pierre....one of the greats! Salad looks scumptious!

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  22. YUm, my mouth was watering at the view of this: citrus and olives, can't beat it!

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  23. I've never tried pairing olives and oranges before. I'll definitely try that out.

    And yes, you're not alone. Maybe you could write down the dishes you want to cook in your calendar (that's what I do).

    Oh and where can I find sweet Hungarian paprika? Does it taste different from the regular kind?

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  24. I do, and I love rediscovering them!

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  25. This salad looks beyond refreshing. A burst of sunshine in the middle of a cold winter.

    I have several recipes that I want to cook each season, but I can never fit them all in. Too many recipes, so little time.

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  26. This is a lovely salad..a very refreshing one..I am going to try this.

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  27. I love the flavors, colors, and textures of this salad.

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  28. I just love the look of this and what a fantastic photo. Noted as this will be great in summer. Thanks.Diane

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  29. All we have now are apples, pears and oranges. I have to cook with those more often. The salad looks really delicious!

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  30. Bonjour Sam ~ I had forgotten about beautiful citrus salads~ and you are right oranges are wonderful to use when tomatoes are scarse and tasteless.
    Have a wonderful week
    xx
    "All Things French"

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  31. Great salad! Thanks for stopping by the "big hugs" helped!

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  32. Yummy salad, beautiful photos.

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  33. Sam the salad looks so fresh and healthy and delicious!

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  34. You are so right, I often forget seasonal dishes. I do have a lamb's lettuce and orange salad that I love but I really want to try this one. It looks and sounds so delicious!

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  35. Oranges are so good now and this salad looks so fresh and full of flavor. I've been blogging for almost three years and my recipe files have grown so large that it is easy to pass right over many of our favorites.

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  36. Besides my ever expanding recipe book collection...my filing cabinet is chock full of favourites and so many recipes that I'd love to make one day.

    With so little time...it's somewhat difficult to plan ahead.
    Now, this salad would only require me to remember to keep a few oranges and make this delightful refreshment.
    I honestly would not have thought of pairing it with olives...a must try.

    BTW Sam...that first photo is a stunner!!!

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

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  37. This looks so good and sounds so appetizing. I love cooking with fruits. I bought a large pineapple at Harry’s Farmers Market and would like to do something with it apart from eating it with some Kirsch – do you have any ideas? I also like your split pea soup and I’ll copy it. And yes for us a soup and salad make a meal. Sometimes I make a thick soup with lamb, garbanzo beans, zucchini and eggplant plus assorted herbs – with crusty French bread it sure makes a meal and we can hardly eat the salad.

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  38. It is an excellent recipe, Sam and I would NEVER had tried it if it wasn't for you. When you guys get back to NC, Alexis and I have to get over to the place in Franklin so we can get together again.

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  39. This looks delicious! My daughter would absolutely love it, too! I have forgotten to make chili this season--I've only made it once this winter...can you believe that?!

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  40. One of the most attractive salads I've ever prepared and so tasty; great photo!
    You are right maybe we should catalogue our recipes by seasons.
    Rita

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  41. This is a wonderful citrus salad --a little grilled shrimp to go with and I would be all set for dinner!

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  42. This looks like quite a refreshing salad. I would have never thought to add Hungarian paprika, I'm intrigued and will try it. I also like all of the herb toppings.

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  43. This looks absolutely wonderful! So colorful and easy.
    I was intrigued by your soup post below because I've often heard people say that soup isn't dinner. I think it is. My sweetheart didn't think soup was dinner, either, until I made him some good clam chowder and paired it with a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Now he'll actually ask for that for dinner when it's rainy or chilly. So, you can change their minds sometimes. :)

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  44. What a brightly flavored and cheery salad. I always forget to do up a fig recipe during the short fig season and I always seem to forget about rhubarb as well. I need to get moving when those season pop around.

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  45. How did I miss this? I love this salad and we have a ways to go before winter ends. I just got my Saturday evening salad and looking forward to its brightness!

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  46. Oh what a lovely salad! But getting back to your question, yes, there are things I've forgotten to make, or enjoy:

    Blueberry muffins.

    Asparagus. Not that I forget to buy or eat it, but I have a big collection of recipes for it, and I always end up having it the same old way.

    Fresh tomato sauce. Either I forget to make it, or I make it and forget to freeze or eat it in time.

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  47. This happens to me all the time Sam. I'm always flipping though books and magazines finding recipes to mark off for summer bbqs or other social gatherings. My list only gets longer though- it seems I rarely get the chance to make all the things I would like.
    This salad looks beautiful and refreshing, Sam!
    Have a wonderful weekend!Blessings, Catherine

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  48. Guilty as charged! I'm always a little sad when orange season ends. This looks like a delightful salad!

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  49. lovely salad and great tips about eating in season

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  50. Such a refreshing looking salad.

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  51. I love Franey's book.
    Having a food blog and always trying to come up w/ new recipes (hardly making anything twice!)makes me forget to serve the dishes that I love and that are tried and true!
    This is one of them!
    Thanks for the reminder Sam!

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  52. We've had a salad much like this in Spain. I love the citrus flavors you've used here. Your salad is a perfectway to brighten a winter day. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  53. This looks delicious, Sam! My husband and I love both citrus and olives.

    Oh yes, I often regret not making a special seasonal dish during the holidays for lack of time or because I forget. I am also trying to cook more loccavore foods so I am slowly changing my seasonal specialties to reflect that. This winter I have been making beet salad.

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  54. Yum! This looks and sound delicious. I wonder how it would be with balsamic?

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  55. This looks so refreshing and delicious! I love citrus salads!

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