Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 4 navel oranges, peeled and sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 80 g kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 10 g fresh mint, torn
Vinaigrette
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml white wine vinegar
- 3 g flaky sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Slice the red onion as thinly as possible. Submerge the slices in a small bowl of ice water to soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients. This removes their harsh bite.
Cut the top and bottom off each orange. Stand the orange upright on the cutting board and use your knife to slice away the peel and white pith following the curve of the fruit. Slice the peeled oranges crosswise into thin rounds.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, flaky sea salt, and black pepper until well combined.
Drain the soaked red onions from the ice water and pat them thoroughly dry with a clean paper towel.
Arrange the orange slices in an overlapping layer on a large serving platter. Scatter the dried red onion slices and halved olives evenly over the top.
Drizzle the vinaigrette uniformly over the salad. Let it rest for 10 minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld. Top with torn fresh mint leaves if using just before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Using a sharp knife is crucial for this recipe. A dull blade will crush the orange segments, squeezing out the juices you want to keep inside the fruit.
- Soaking red onions in ice water is a classic culinary trick. The cold water crisp up the cellular structure while washing away the sulfur compounds responsible for their harsh, lingering bite.
- Seek out oil-cured black olives or high-quality Kalamata olives. Avoid standard canned black olives, as they lack the deep, briny punch needed to balance the sweet citrus.
- When in season, swapping standard navel oranges for blood oranges elevates this dish aesthetically and introduces a sophisticated, berry-like tartness.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Best eaten fresh; oranges will release juices and onions will soften over time.
