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December 2006

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Oils, Vinegars & Salad Dressings

Recipe: Blood Orange Almond Vinaigrette

An Exciting Way To Enliven A Salad

This recipe is part of the Roasted Organic Golden & Red Beet Stacks With Fresh Herbed Goat Cheese, but it can be enjoyed with other preparations as well.

Delicious blood oranges have crimson or “blood”-colored flesh, the result of the pigment anthocyanin, not typically found in citrus, but common to other red fruits and flowers. Depending on the variety, the outside may look like a regular orange or feature telltale washes of red.

There are three cultivars (varieties) of blood orange:

• The Tarocco, native to Italy, is a medium-sized fruit and is perhaps the sweetest and most flavorful of the three types. However, its internal reddish color varies widely and is unreliably red.
• The Sanguinello, discovered in Spain in 1929, has a reddish skin, few seeds, and a sweet and tender flesh.
• The Moro, a recent introduction into the blood orange family, is grown in San Diego, California  and in Texas. It is the most colorful of the three types, with a deep purple flesh and reddish orange rind (see photo above). It has a sweet flavor with notes of raspberry that makes this variety sing—whether in recipes or as an eating fruit. They are well worth seeking out.

While imported blood orange juice is beginning to appear in stores nationwide, in the U.S., blood oranges are in season from December to March (Texas), and from November to May (California). Enjoy them at their affordable best! This vinaigrette recipe was developed by Laura Klein, an organic chef and publisher of OrganicAuthority.com.

Makes 1-1/3 cups.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups fresh blood orange juice
• 1 shallot, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest from blood oranges
• 1/3 cup almond oil
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt (kosher or sea salt)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring blood orange juice to a boil in medium saucepan. Lower heat to a simmer and reduce until you have 1/3 cup of blood orange juice.
2. In a medium bowl, combine reduced blood orange juice, vinegar, shallot, thyme and blood orange zest.
3. Slowly drizzle oils into mixture while whisking until combined and thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until needed.

Chef’s Note

You can use any of your favorite oils and/or fresh herbs to make this outstanding dressing. This dressing pairs excellently with raspberries and fresh organic greens. As always use as many organic ingredients you can find for optimum flavor.

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