Orange Salsa Salad

Summer just wouldn’t be summer without some brilliant citrus fruit around. Although I try to keep all types on hand, one of my favorites is the orange. They are a great source of vitamin C, which makes them a healthy snack for the kids. They are always refreshing and go with many summer dishes, like fish, grilled shellfish, chicken, or even tri-tip. I love to make sauces, frozen and baked treats, salads, and so many other things with oranges but I had to pick one to share with you for today so I chose an Orange Salsa Salad. This salad is inspired from a salad by my mom, with a few variations in dressing and preparation. I loved the basic flavor combinations when she served it to me and had to make it my own.

This Orange Salsa Salad is a fantastic side for any summer barbeque. It has some nice salsa like flavors but isn’t spicy which makes it appealing to everyone. One very important element to making this salad is that the oranges are sectioned, cutting them from the pith. Otherwise the peel and pith will cause the salad to take on a stale bitter flavor as it marinades. To prepare the orange in this way, first cut off all of the peel, ensuring that no white remains. Then holding the orange in one hand, use a knife to cut on each side of the segment to remove the section, repeating this all the way around the orange. While this takes some time it is well worth it, not only because it guarantees proper taste but it looks beautiful as well. I have served this as a side to a barbeque tri-tip dinner and also roast chicken; it was a hit on both occasions!

And now, “Bon appetite, now we may eat!”

Orange Salsa Salad

(Serves 6)

12 oranges, segments cut from pith

1 medium red onion, sliced

3 T chopped fresh cilantro

3 T olive oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

Section oranges by cutting the oranges segments from the pith, ensuring no white remains. Drain the oranges segments in a strainer, juice can be saved for some other purpose. Slice onions and chop cilantro, place in a bowl. Add orange segments and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Toss lightly and marinade for an hour before serving.

Baby Zucchini Salad

Today at the farmers market I saw some baby zucchini and thought, "Those look so cute an yummy, and I have to get some." So with no real idea of what I was going to do with them I decided to buy a dozen or so.

Zucchini or summer squash are part of the melon and cucumber family, most of us eats the variety that originated in Italy. They come in yellow, green, or light green. Today I got the green variety, baby size, so only about 5 inches long.

Another interesting tidbit about these cute baby zucchini is that they are not a vegetable. Sure we cook with them like they are but I’m sure all of you remember the old question you ask to know the difference between vegetable and fruit, “Does it have seeds?” And well yes, zucchini does have seeds so it’s a fruit. They come from a flowering plant, and are a ripened ovary, all signs of a fruit. Either way, they are delicious and who can argue with that.

While we are going to work with baby zucchini this week, larger ones are excellent, and also the flowers are edible and very delicious, but we will have to cover those topics a different week.

Whenever I am trying to decide what I want to do with an ingredient I do something really novel – I taste it! These baby zucchini tasted fresh, slightly sweet, and were nice and crisp. That meant according to my taste buds that all signs were pointing to a nice fresh salad. Given their Italian origins and what I had in my refrigerator and pantry I decided to follow that path to the following salad.

I will be pairing this tonight with a fresh mozzarella and basil grilled pizza. But this would also go wonderfully with grilled halibut or seared scallops. I’d love to hear from you what you decided to pair it with, send me a note.

And now shall we say, “Bon Appetite, now we may eat!”

Baby Zucchini Salad

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

5 baby zucchini, sliced thinly (on mandolin is ideal)

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, medium dice

2 large basil leaves, finely chopped

2 T smoked olive oil*

2 T balsamic vinegar

salt

pepper

Toss zucchini, red onion, red bell pepper, and basil with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Taste, and then season accordingly with salt and pepper.

* Smoked olive oil has it’s own unique taste and while you could substitute with regular olive oil I would strongly suggest trying the smoked first, it is really amazing. For information on ordering my favorite Chili Pepper Smoked olive oil, also featured in Fine Cooking recently, look for The Smoked Olive, based out of Santa Rosa, CA (www.thesmokedolive.com).