The ingredients to this Moroccan-inspired salad are available year round, but I think it’s particularly refreshing on a hot day. The salty olives complement the sweet juicy oranges, and the radishes and mint add freshness and a little crunch. It’s great for a summer barbeque.
There’s only one unusual ingredient — orange flower water, an aromatic distillation of orange blossoms traditionally used in North African and Mediterranean cuisine. If you’ve never tried it, you’re in for a treat. Its aroma is transporting, and its subtle flavor enlivens a wide variety of desserts, baked goods like olive oil brioche and drinks like the gin fizz. Orange flower water (sometimes called orange blossom water) is inexpensive and readily available from middle eastern grocers and from online sources like amazon.com, so it’s easy to add to your pantry.
Recipe
(serves 4)
Ingredients
(All quantities are approximate.)
5-6 small juice oranges such as Valencia
About a dozen red radishes, sliced as thinly as you can
About 16 green olives, pitted and roughly sliced into two or three pieces each
2 tablespoons of good olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon of orange flower water
1 teaspoon sugar (a little more or less, depending on the sweetness of your oranges)
kosher or sea salt and pepper, to taste
About 6 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
1. Cut the peel away from the flesh of each orange with a sharp paring knife. (Juice oranges have thin skins and are very difficult to peel by hand.) Working over a bowl to catch the juice, cut out sections of the orange by slicing alongside each membrane toward the center of the orange. The first cut will free one side of the section, and, after you cut the other side, the section should fall out with a slight twist of the blade. If you’ve never done this before, this will probably seem like fiddly business, but after the first orange, you’ll get the hang of it, and it will go quickly.
2. Add the radishes, olives, sugar and lemon juice, orange flower water and oil to the bowl, toss gently, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
3. Just before serving, check the seasoning, add the chopped mint and toss again.
