Bitter Greens Orange Salad - this salad pairs the sweetness of winter fruit with crunchy greens. It's a tasty mix of bitter, sweet & crunchy that compliments most any meal.
6cupsbitter greens - recommend arugulaendive and radicchio - or a combination of these
2oranges
½cuphazelnutsalso known as filberts
Dressing -
½cupbalsamic vinegar
⅓cupolive oil
1tablespoonhoney
juice of the orange
1shallotchopped
1teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Start by toasting the hazelnuts. Use a dry pan over medium heat. Spread the nuts out in the pan so they are one even layer. Stir them or shake the pan every minute or so and keep an eye on them. They can scorch quickly! It will only take about 5-8 minutes.
Remove the nuts from the pan as soon as you take them off the heat. Roughly chop.
Prepare the greens, wash and dry thoroughly. Pile them in a large bowl.
Next, using a knife, peel the oranges. Cut off the peel with a sharp knife, removing all of the bitter white pith. Then cut out each segment of the orange carefully. This is best done over a bowl to catch the juice.
Mince the shallot. Place all of the salad dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar. Shake vigorously to combine.
Add the oranges slices and chopped hazelnuts to the salad bowl.
Dress the salad immediately before serving.
Notes
Be sure to take a moment and toast the nuts. It will make them a bit crunchy and give them even more flavor!
When they are crisp and brown, remove them from the pan immediately as they will continue to cook and may burn if they are left in the pan. Set aside to cool.
When the nuts are cool enough to handle, give them a rough chop.
Dress this salad directly before serving. Start with just a few tablespoons of dressing and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and mix again. If you need additional salad dressing add another few tablespoons and toss. It's always easy to add more, but difficult to take it away if you add too much!