Winter

Winter Insalata with Ovoline Mozzarella and Citrus

by:
March 15, 2011
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Winter Insalata with Ovoline Mozzarella and Citrus
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

This salad helps make the seasonal transition towards early spring all the closer and brighter. I don't know if you could consider this a riff on a caprese salad or not, but the winter citrus really play up this wonderful form of fresh mozzarella. Ciliegene would also work here. After experimenting with tarts and cakes for my son's upcoming birthday it is so refreshing to indulge in such a fresh salad. We are not close to having heirloom tomatoes in New England, but do have Cara Cara, blood orange, and Meyer in the market alongside our grounding mozzarella. —Sagegreen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 Cara Cara orange
  • 1 blood red orange
  • 6 ounces ovoline fresh mozzarella, or ciliegine
  • 6 rings of thinly sliced red onion, optional
  • 8 fresh mint leaves
  • 12 stems of fresh chives
  • 1 Meyer lemon
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (Middle Earth Organics is my choice)
  • 1 teaspoon honey (acacia suggested)
  • 1/8 teaspoon fleur de sel
  • 5 white peppercorns, fresh milled
Directions
  1. Wash all your citrus. Next peel off the rind and pith from the oranges. Cut into about 1/4 inch thick slices.See the great video on Food52 from citrus and olive week for a great demonstration. Begin to arrange the slices on two plates with an alternation of orange type.
  2. Next slice the ovoline (or ciliegine) into the same thickness. Interweave these slices amidst the oranges. Add the optional red onion slices in cloverleaf overlapped style if you like at the center.
  3. Roll and then snip the washed mint leaves over the two plates. Snip the chives on top of the salad as well.
  4. Squeeze half a lemon on top of each salad. Use the remaining rinds in another recipe.
  5. Drizzle the honey across both plates. Drizzle the olive oil next the same way. Finish with a sprinkle of fleur de sel and fresh milled white peppercorn. Now you can really see the hope that spring is very near in every renewing bite.
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  • Lizthechef
    Lizthechef
  • hardlikearmour
    hardlikearmour
  • Sagegreen
    Sagegreen
  • adamnsvetcooking
    adamnsvetcooking

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6 Reviews

adamnsvetcooking
adamnsvetcooking March 15, 2011
I love the colors! It makes me more excited for the spring and the summer
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen March 15, 2011
Thanks, adamsvetcooking. Me, too!
 
Lizthechef
Lizthechef March 15, 2011
Love this, even without the ricotta ;) I have oranges and lemons in the garden and everything else here in the kitchen. Supper tonight will spotlight your gorgeous salad...
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen March 15, 2011
Thanks, Liz. I also uploaded photos of a version using cigiline mozzarella with red onions. I hope you enjoy, with or without the mozzarella. With, it is a meal in itself.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour March 15, 2011
I definitely think it's a riff on caprese salad, and an inspired one at that! Great wintertime caprese salad for when tomatoes are at their worst and citrus is at its best.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen March 15, 2011
Thanks, hla. So well put!