The salad chef in the house is my partner Kevin, who always
makes the dinner salad whether for us or when entertaining guests. He has a large repertoire and today I'm
sharing with you his recipe for Mandarin Orange Salad which is popular during
Chinese New Year.
During Chinese New Year, Mandarin oranges and tangerines are
considered traditional symbols of abundance and good fortune. During the
two-week celebration, they are frequently displayed as decoration and presented
as gifts to friends, relatives, and business associates.
The mandarin orange is a variety of the orange family. The
mandarin has many names, some of which actually refer to crosses between the mandarin
and another citrus fruit. Satsuma, a seedless variety, of which there are over 200 cultivars,
such as Owari and mikan; are the source of most canned
mandarins, and popular as a fresh fruit due to its easy peeling. Likewise, the Clementine, sometimes known as
a "Christmas orange" as its peak season is December; and is perhaps
the most important commercial Mandarin orange form. Tangerines sometimes known as "Dancy
Mandarin" are also popular as is the Tangor, also called the temple
orange, a cross between the Mandarin orange and the common sweet orange; its
thick rind is easy to peel and its bright orange pulp is sour-sweet and
full-flavored. I tell you all so you
know you can substitute if need be, but preferably selecting one of the
seedless varieties.
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cider
vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons dried
parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground
black pepper
1/2 cup sliced
almonds
1 head red leaf lettuce - rinsed, dried and torn
1/2 red onion,
chopped
1/2 cup chopped
celery
2 (11 ounce) cans
mandarin orange segments, drained
Fresh ground pepper
In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the oil,
vinegar, honey, parsley, salt and pepper. Cover and shake well. Refrigerate
until ready for use.
In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, celery, onion
oranges and almonds. Re-shake dressing and coat salad evenly. Apply fresh ground pepper. Plate and serve.
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