Ensalada de Naranjas - Orange Salad

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

My Mexican friends used to serve a very simple salad made with lettuce and bits of cucumber. They dressed their salad simply with lime and olive oil. However, I needed a salad recipe that made use of oranges which I had in excess and I was pleased to find a recipe that is Mexican in origin and made use of oranges and cucumbers. The salad called for lettuce which I did not have but I do have organic spinach leaves so I substituted the spinach leaves for the lettuce. The salad is dressed with a French dressing which I spiced up with a jalapeno pepper.

*Ensalada de Naranjas - Adapted

4 oranges
1 cucumber
4 cups spinach leaves

Dressing:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely diced
1/4 cup green onions, diced
1 tbsp honey
1/2 lime
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil + more if needed

1. To make the dressing, combine the vinegar, juice of lime and honey and 
    mix well. With a whisk, drizzle in the olive oil until a thick emulsion is 
    formed. Season with salt and pepper. Add the jalapeno and the onions 
    and mix well. Set aside. 

2. Peel the oranges and slice into rounds. Peel the cucumber and slice 
    crosswise into thin slices. Wash the spinach leaves. 

3. To assemble, arrange the spinach leaves on a wide bowl and top with 
    the orange and cucumber slices in a decorative manner. Drizzle with  
    the dressing and serve immediately. 

* Brown, H. E., Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery: Volume 7, Fawcett Publications Inc., New York: 1966