Orange, Avocado, Tomato and Onion Salad
A refreshing salad excellent in summertime, perfect to serve with paella
Orange, Avocado, Tomato and Onion Salad
Ingredients
- 2large oranges, peeled and sectioned
- 2ripe avocados, sliced
- 2large tomatoes, sliced
- 1small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4cup olive oil
- 2tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1tsp salt
- 1/2tsp black pepper
- 2tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Chef's Notes
Supreming Oranges
This recipe features supremed oranges, an excellent technique that retrieves just the flesh of the citrus fruit leaving the membranes behind and creating a really good mouthfeel. Cut off the top and bottom of the orange. Place on a cutting board and run your knife sideways along the orange skin making sure to cut off all the pith, which is the bitter white part of the fruit.
This technique ensures you get pure orange segments without any of the bitter white pith that would negatively impact the salad's delicate flavor balance.
Macerating the Onion
The white onion gets macerated in orange juice and salt for as long as possible, taking the pungency out and rendering it delicious. It is almost like a quick pickle. Slice the onion very thin and mix into the orange juice with a pinch of salt. Set aside for 30 minutes at least.
The acid in the orange juice in combination with the salt will reduce the pungency of the onion, creating a sweet, tangy element that complements rather than overwhelms the other ingredients.
Mediterranean Character
This is a very Mediterranean salad, with the oranges, olives, almonds and olive oil creating an authentic flavor profile. The combination brings together classic Mediterranean ingredients in a refreshing, harmonious way.
Interesting that the avocados and the tomatoes originated in the Americas in Mediterranean climates, so they fit really well with the rest of the ingredients, creating a bridge between Old and New World flavors.
Serving & Storage
This is a very refreshing salad, excellent in the summertime but really good year round if you can find good oranges. Refrigerate everything for 20 minutes if you have the time. This salad is best when really cold.
Top with Maldon salt at the very last minute to avoid dissolving, preserving the crunchiness of the salt flakes. The finishing salt adds texture and a burst of salinity that brings all the flavors together.