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Saturday, March 5, 2011

Carpaccio of Blood Orange with Green Olives

It is blood orange season and you have to get them while the getting is good because when they are gone, that's all she wrote folks! Originally from Sicily, these tart and yes bloody looking citrus are so worth the extra bucks.

Unlike other oranges, these are not the kind you peel and eat - their peels are so thin that it is really hard to eat them in that manner.  So, juice them for an amazing margarita or make this easy side dish or hors d'oeuvres. Do not stray from the recipe since it is key, and just a few quality ingredients makes all the difference.

Use a very sharp knife to cut off all of the peel and pith and do it over a bowl to catch the juice. It will appear that you are cutting off some of the fruit but that is the only way to get it free of all of the peel. Keeping this in mind buy more oranges than you think you need. Enjoy this with a crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc or a lovely sparkling such as Prosecco or Cava.

Nicole of Pinch My Salt used to live in Sicily (so so jealous!) so you know this is as authentic as it gets. Trust the Sicilian cooks when they pair briny olives with tart citrus! Her dish is more carpaccio like than mine - I had less patience in cutting the orange into sections.

Carpaccio of Blood Orange with Green Olives
from Pinch My Salt

blood orange
green olives (preferably oil cured)
extra virgin olive oil
salt

Peel and section oranges with a sharp knife, leaving the pith and membrane behind. Arrange orange slices on a plate, drizzle with olive oil, then add a sprinkling of coarse salt. Scatter some green olives over the plate and serve.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:

Banoffe Pie at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Roasted Veal Chops with Black Trumpet Ragu and Crispy Artichokes at Ladyberd's Kitchen
Spicy Barley Soup at Soup Chick

2 comments:

Katerina said...

Orange with olives. This is such an unusual combination. I will try it!

Nutmeg Nanny said...

Those oranges look so fresh and delicious...yum!