Arugula

Orange Salad with Thyme and Triple Berry Balsamic

by:
April 18, 2013
5
1 Ratings
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

After a trip to Italy, my uncle made us an Italian dinner and cleansed our palates with a first course of sliced oranges, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. I've added a few variations to his recipe, but think of him no matter what twist I put on it. Whenever I serve this for a crowd it is always a hit! —chachachi

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 Shallot
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 3 Strawberries
  • 5 Blackberries
  • 5 Blueberries
  • 1 pinch Raw Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2/3 cup Extra Virgen Olive Oil
  • 5 Navel Oranges
  • 5 Cara Cara Oranges
  • 5 Blood Oranges
  • 1 bunch Arugula
  • Sea Salt
  • Cracked Black Pepper
  • 8 sprigs Fresh Thyme (removed from stems)
Directions
  1. Thinly slice the shallot into transparent slivers. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan and lightly brown the shallots without burning them. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
  2. In a bowl, muddle the berries with the balsamic vinegar. If the berries aren't sweet enough, add a pinch or two of raw sugar. Let this sit for at least an hour until the berries infuse with the balsamic vinegar. Slowly add the olive oil and emulsify.
  3. Wash and dry all of the citrus. Cut the top and bottom parts off of an orange. Set the orange on a cutting board flat side down, and cut off the skin and all of the white piths so you are left with only the orange flesh. Cut the orange in 3-4 slices. Repeat with all citrus.
  4. To serve, place a few pieces of arugula on a plate. On top of the arugula, add 1-2 slices of each type of citrus. Drizzle with the balsamic vinaigrette. Sprinkle with thyme leaves, shallots, sea salt, and black pepper.
  5. ***I usually serve this family style for a brunch or other large gathering. I like to stack the different color citrus on a large platter, pour the balsamic vinaigrette on top, sprinkle with the shallots, and put a generous helping of thyme, cracked black pepper, and sea salt on top. I will place a small bunch of arugula on the side of the platter. The pinks, reds, and oranges from the citrus look amazing against the green and deep purples from the vinaigrette. The thyme and black pepper finishes this dish off nicely.

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1 Review

Fran M. April 21, 2013
I MAKE SOMETHING ALMOST LIKE THIS BUT WITHOUT THE BERRIES I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY THIS WITH THE BERRIES.