blood oranges

I look forward to the beginning of January each year not because it is time to set new resolutions or because I get to clean my house after Christmas has blown through. I get excited because the first blood oranges arrive at the farmers' markets! Tuesday was my first visit since Christmas and I was so excited to see them at the stand I always buy them from. I bought 6 or 7 and could barely wait until I got home to eat my first one. They have very few seeds and are fairly easy to peel so eating them out of hand is a pleasure compared to few in the middle of winter.

The taste of a blood orange is so unique- definitely tangy but it also has a floral sweetness like that of a raspberry. When you cut out the individual sections for a salad or dessert they look like rich ruby jewels waiting to be consumed by a hungry suitor. One of my favorite ways to eat them is in a salad. My lettuce of choice is arugula because I like the peppery flavor which offsets the sweetness of fruit very well. Also good choices are red leaf lettuce or butter lettuce but you can really use whatever you prefer. Cut the sections out of the orange by first slicing the ends off and then cutting the peel and pith off with a sharp knife, following the curve of the fruit. You are left with a red orb separted by the white membranes appearing as thin stripes in between the flesh of the fruit. Holding the orange over a bowl, use your knife to cut close to the membrane on each side of the section. The section will fall into the bowl. Continue with the rest of the orange and then squeeze the membranes to release the rest of the juices. You can use sections like these in many dishes- in a wild rice salad, on cheesecake, in a fruit salad... experiment. The leftover juice can be used in the vinaigrette or mixed with a little mineral water for a nice drink. I put these sections in the salad along with some thin slices of red onion, and toasted pistachios or hazelnuts. You can also add other citrus like ruby red grapefruit or navel oranges, maybe even kumquats. I make a dressing from a light tasting vinegar (Trader Joes makes a great Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar that I can almost use drink and is great on a salad even by itself) and a citrus olive oil (I use Stonehouse Blood Orange Olive Oil) but let your taste be your guide. A hazelnut oil would be great too. Another option for this salad instead of nuts would be some sliced avocado- also currently in season. Enjoy!

Arugula Salad with Blood Oranges, Onions and Hazelnuts
(feeds one hungry soul or 2-3 as a side dish)

3 oz baby arugula (half of a bag)
2 blood oranges, sectioned (see above for directions)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 oz. toasted, coarsley chopped hazelnuts
2 tablespoons orange muscat champagne vinegar or rice vinegar
2 tablespoons citrus olive oil or nut oil
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl. Slowly add oil while still whisking and add salt and pepper to taste. In a medium bowl toss together arugula, orange sections, onion slices and hazelnuts. Add about 3/4 of the dressing and toss gently- I like to use my hands. Add more dressing if needed. Serve!