Today’s delight, this beautifully simple Orange and Olive Salad, came from an inspired conversation with a mere acquaintance.
Up close and personal interactions with my fellow food lovers are, in fact, my favorite source of new recipe ideas. Sure, you can hunt down recipes on the Internet, thumb through cookbooks, or scroll the apps. But that’s all so one-dimensional. For me, there is nothing better than an enthusiastic description, complete with hand gestures, expressive eyes, and exclamations of undying love, to convince me a dish is worth exploring.
Especially a dish as weird as this one.
I’ll admit, my brain hit the breaks hard when the words ‘orange’ and ‘olive’ rolled out in the same sentence, never mind when she suggested to leave the orange peel ON. That’s a hard pass, I thought to myself. But as she started talking about the delicious sweet and salty combo heightened by the pop! of citrus, I became captivated. Could this salad of oranges, onions, olives, oregano and olive oil really work? Five seemingly incompatible ingredients?
AND THEY ALL START WITH THE LETTER ‘O’?!? It was beyond believable to my bumbling brain.
The 5 O’s of this Orange and Olive Salad
Oranges. Olives. Onions. Oregano. Olive oil. It is literally that straight-forward. Nothing else, not even salt+pepper. And, at my friend’s suggestion, I left the peel on.
Wait, really? Orange peel? Yes, really! Sliced thinly, the peel is mellowed and tenderized by both its own juices as well as the olive oil. You can certainly make this salad without the peel, but I really loved the extra citrus zing! it gave the whole thing.
Knowing that my opinion could maybe be a little biased, I also shared the orange and olive salad with my built-in food critics (AKA book club pals). Yes, ma’am, there’s no more discerning and diversified group of palates out there.
They all weighed in. Before the tasting, there were a lot of doubtful looks. But, afterwards there were many an approving nod. Foodie Janet, who can dish out some amazing nosh herelf, was skeptical at first, then dubbed it ‘very unusual and absolutely delicious!’
Let’s chat a bit about what makes this salad so special.
First, it’s simple. Five ingredients and 10 minutes is all it takes to put this together!
Next, it’s versatile. While it’s delicious on its own as a stand-alone side dish, I picture it being the perfect accompaniment to top grilled fish or chicken. I’ve been wanting to make this orange miso salmon for quite a while – now may be the time!
Thirdly, it’s seasonal. In the winter months, adding citrus to your diet is one of the best ways to eat seasonally. Pack in that immune-boosting vitamin C!
Finally, you can’t deny it’s gorgeous. With virtually no time or effort, you’ve got something so glamorous, it’s runway-ready with absolutely no waiting.
Orange and Olive Salad
Orange and olive salad is a simple way to incorporate seasonal citrus into your day. Just five ingredients and ten minutes, and you've got a gorgeous side dish for your table.
Ingredients
- 1 med navel orange
- 1/2 med sweet onion like vidalia
- 14 kalamata olives, pitted
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
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Wash and dry orange. Cut a 1/8" thick slice off each end and discard. Cut the orange crosswise into very thin slices (< 1/8") then cut each slice into wedges. Add to small bowl.
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Cut the kalamata olives in halves (or quarters if they are extra big) and add to bowl.
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Peel the onion half, and slice off the end. Cut it in half in half again, so that you have two separate onion quarters. Slice each piece vertically in very thin slices. Add to the bowl.
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Add oregano and extra virgin olive oil, and toss gently to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled. The salad will keep in the refrigerator covered, for 3-4 days.
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Serve as a side salad or as a topping for grilled fish or chicken.
Recipe Notes
If you don’t think you can eat orange peel, it’s 100% okay to make this salad without it. To peel the orange, cut off both ends of the orange as per the recipe. Then, sitting the orange on one of its flat ends, use the (very sharp) knife blade to slice from top to bottom just under the skin, following the curve of the orange. This will remove the skin and pith, without (hopefully) removing the flesh. Then continue with slicing the orange cross-wise and into wedges.
Use high quality extra-virgin olive oil that tastes good! Don’t skimp on quality here.
Mix up the type of olives you use – this salad is meant to be a bit flexible.
Potential variations include using red onion instead of sweet, or adding a bit of feta, or trying it with fresh oregano.
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