Orange, Celeriac & Arugula Salad
Yes, it is cold outside... it is January after all! But that is the time of year for the most succulent, delicious oranges if you are here in Europe! These sun-kissed Sicilian oranges were just the thing to brighten up my cold day... and combined with sharp and tangy celeric and young arugula, they will certainly brighten up your day too!
Celeriac is great- and not only in soups, but also raw in salads like this- especially combined with juicy citrus fruits which compliment and enhance the otherwise mildly pungent flavor. I added a little fennel green as it is always a good friend of orange- and cracked red pepper corns for a splash of color and an added "zing!" to tickle you taste buds! Hope you enjoy it!
The first thing you need to do is to top and tail your orange, then slice off the peel generously from top to bottom, so that you remove all of the white lining. Then carefully cut out the segments of the orange using a sharp knife, making sure to capture any juice that escapes during the process... as you will need that to make your dressing!
Cut the celeriac into blocks of around 2", then cut the blocks into thin slices, and in turn, lay the slices on their sides and cut them into a fine "julienne" as you can see in the pictures... it is not as difficult as you may think. Some versions of this salad use grated celeriac, but I prefer the texture of the little sticks... I will leave it up to you to decide!
As soon as you have cut the celeriac, drop it into the orange juice as this will prevent it from discoloring, then add salt, sugar and olive oil and mix well. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes- this will make the flavor milder and "rounder"... and in the meantime you can prepare your dishes!
Cut the celeriac into blocks of around 2", then cut the blocks into thin slices, and in turn, lay the slices on their sides and cut them into a fine "julienne" as you can see in the pictures... it is not as difficult as you may think. Some versions of this salad use grated celeriac, but I prefer the texture of the little sticks... I will leave it up to you to decide!
As soon as you have cut the celeriac, drop it into the orange juice as this will prevent it from discoloring, then add salt, sugar and olive oil and mix well. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes- this will make the flavor milder and "rounder"... and in the meantime you can prepare your dishes!
Lay out the arugula, then arrange the celeriac and orange segments on top. Add honey and olive oil to the remaining juice, whisk together and pour over the salad. Finish with the cracked red peppercorns and get your taste buds ready... and enjoy! Buon apetito!
Beautiful combination! I usually make this salad with strips of fennel (or onions and olives) but I like the idea of mixing things up a bit. Celeriac makes for an interesting new twist.
ReplyDeleteI thought of doing the usual orange and fennel salad too Frank- but being as I had a hefty chunk of celeriac in the fridge, I decided to make this again as it had been ages since I last ate it- it's pretty wonderful and tangy! Hope you like it if you give it a try! Saluti da Francesco :-)
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