Thursday, March 19, 2015

Blood Orange Salad


Take advantage of the blood oranges while they’re available to create this spectacular salad using a variety of different oranges in a rainbow of gorgeous colors. Here I’ve paired dark colored blood oranges with red-fleshed, sweet cara cara navel oranges and bright orange-fleshed Florida navel oranges, resulting in a not only a beautiful but a very flavorful and refreshing salad.


If you can’t find blood oranges, this French Orange Salad shown below using all navel oranges is just as pretty and tasty. Long time readers may remember this Salad d’Oranges et Olives Noires navel orange salad with the slivers of red onions and kalamata olives here. I’ve taken that particular salad to parties and it’s always a big hit. People are a bit surprised when they first see it, but one taste convinces them that it is a delightful and refreshing combination that plays off of each other’s flavors beautifully.

French Orange Salad with Red Onions & Kalamata Olives - recipe here

This hastily made, colorful salad is adapted from one of Pierre Franey’s 60-Minute Gourmet series 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 also worked alongside his dear friend Craig Claiborne. It was Craig and Pierre along with Julia Child that taught my generation how to cook.

Citrus salads are a great substitute for tomato salads when tomatoes are tasteless and not in season. They are very refreshing as well as quite versatile. Thinly sliced radishes take the place of the feta cheese for a nice peppery crunch in the blood orange salad shown below. I’ve also substituted peppery flavored radishes for the red onions with great success in the French orange salad shown above with the kalamata olives.  


The possibilities of different combinations of this salad are endless. Try a pink grapefruit in place of the red-fleshed cara cara oranges to add a sharper note to the salad. Garnish with slivered red onions and black olive slices as I did originally. I’ve even seen toasted coconut with chopped pistachios. Use any kind of nuts you like or no nuts at all. My friend Bonnie of From a Writers Kitchen composed a gorgeous still life salad with blood oranges, strawberries and kiwis here. How about grilled asparagus with blood oranges slices? Or use an orange salad as a dessert as I did here that is very palate refreshing after a heavy meal such as a French Beef Daube. Take a look at my Pinterest Salad Board here and you’ll see a great range of different flavor combinations and garnishes for blood oranges.



Blood Orange Salad 
Adapted from Salad d’Oranges et Olives Noires in 60 Minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey– serves 4 or 5
Printable Recipe

2 each blood oranges, cara cara, and Florida navel oranges

Trim off the ends of the oranges with a sharp knife. With the same knife remove the peel, then cut the oranges into thin slices and arrange in an attractive manner on a platter. Drizzle with the vinaigrette below and garnish with the pistachios, feta cheese, and mint leaves.

Vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
A couple of pinches of sea salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper

To make the vinaigrette, place the paprika, vinegar and oil, salt and pepper in a small jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well.

Garnishes:
Chopped pistachios
Feta cheese
Fresh mint leaves

Garnish the oranges with pistachios, finely crumbled feta cheese and mint leaves. The salad is best served within 30 minutes, or if you wish to hold it longer, add the mint leaves at the last minute to prevent them from wilting. Salad is easily doubled.



For better viewing, click photos to enlarge

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm and Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday.
Have a great week everyone.



35 comments:

  1. So beautiful, colourful and delicious!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. This looks great Sam! I would have never thought to pair oranges and radishes... love them both:@)

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  3. Is there anything prettier and more flavorful than a salad of oranges? And blood oranges add to the visual beauty. Very interesting vinaigrette with the paprika. Can't wait to try that. I remember your salad with olives and onions...have tried it and loved it. The pistachios are a great addition too. Lots of ideas here today, Sam!

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  4. I am craving this salad Sam. Perfect combination!

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  5. Blood oranges are in our stores right now. All of your salads look delicious! Years ago, I met a friend in Philadelphia to attend the annual Book and the Cook. Cookbook authors came to various restaurants in the city and oversaw a menu from their books. We chose Pierre Franey and enjoyed a delicious meal and his delightful company.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  6. I love bo salads..I do eat w/ my eyes first and this scores high high marks..
    You must be strting preparations for your French honeymoon you two:)

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  7. Yummy! That looks delicious! I am heading to Fresh Market in Hendersonville to see if they have any blood oranges in!

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  8. What a great salad, Sam! I love the paprika and pistachio additions; sounds like a perfect salad!

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  9. Sam, I'm usually not a fan of citrus/fruit salads but I really like your blood orange salad and since I'm not an onion fan, the idea of substituting radish slices really appeals to me. The use of nuts works well for me as well. Thanks and Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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  10. Delicious looking salad! I am sure it tastes heavenly.
    I have found two different blood oranges here in Vienna, all from Italy, Moro and Tarocco.

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  11. Great salads Sam. I think they are a great palate cleanser and you don't feel stuffed at the end of a meal.

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  12. A very delicious and fresh salad, Sam.. I just love how colourful and beautiful it looks.

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  13. I have never had oranges in a salad before. I seriously need to try that!

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  14. What a gorgeous salad - I adore blood oranges and saw them at the market the other day - so lovely with feta and mint - perfection!
    Mary

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  15. I always look forward to blood orange season. This salad not only is beautiful, but I'm so sure it's delicious as well. Very impressive salad to serve dinner guests! Great post, Sam!

    Bill @ www.southernboydishes.com

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  16. I always learn something new from you, Sam. These salads look so good I want to rush out and buy some oranges tonight. But with the rain and all, guess I'll wait.

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  17. These sound amazing..so pretty, too.
    here from Foodie Fri

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  18. These all look wonderful We've been bingeing on red grapefruit from Texas -- so delicious. And even better with spinach, avocado slices and vinaigrette or homemade mayonnaise.

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  19. What a gorgeous salad! I love all of the beautiful colors of those oranges. :)

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  20. What a beautiful presentation, Sam! This would be lovely for a party and refreshing for the eyes as well as the taste buds.

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  21. I wish we got more varieties of oranges at our markets here in Georgia. Apples and pears yes but what oranges we get here are pitiful.. That orange and olive salad you posted previously has always stayed in my mind and I have been meaning to try it. I just KNOW it would be fantastic. Yes Pierre and Craig and dear Julia were our teachers and I laugh when I think how 60 minute gourmet recipes were considered quick and easy then...and no photos!
    BTW you can come back now, beautiful weather!

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  22. They all look delicious Sam and I especially like the blood orange one with feta cheese.

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  23. As I said on Facebook, you make the most beautiful and best Salads Sam. So colorful and delicious.

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  24. Oh, Looks so delicious! I love blood oranges!

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  25. Alexis already told me you did this as soon as I got back home this weekend. I told her it was the same one you did at Larry's but I didn't realize you did this new version. I love some cara cara oranges too, so this would rock.

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  26. I love cooking with citrus-Blending blood oranges with navel oranges makes a bold pop of color. This is a beautiful salad.

    Velva

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  27. I don't think I've seen a more vibrant (and delicious looking) salad, Sam. It would be the highlight of any table.

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  28. This salad looks just divine! Beautiful!

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  29. This looks gorgeous, Sam! I will have to remember to do this the next time I see blood oranges for sale as I love their color mixed with the other oranges.

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  30. not only is it delicious but boy does it look absolutely beautiful with those bright vibrant colors

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  31. Dear Sam, Such a beautiful, healthy and delicious salad. I would enjoy this very much. xoxo Catherine

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  32. The three different oranges make for a stunning salad! And I love all the options you mentioned, too :)

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  33. Such a beautiful salad of an array of oranges that we love! Wish I could have made this when blood oranges were in season, but just got so behind in reading your recipes during a busy time at work. Hopefully next year, I'll be able to make and enjoy this beautiful winter season salad, Sam! Thank you for sharing!
    Roz

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  34. Love Pierre Franey's recipes. We still have blood oranges! This is a wonderful light dish for the transition season.

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