Sicilian Style Citrus Salad Food

SICILIAN-STYLE CITRUS SALAD

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. It should be tart but not over-vinegary. Taste and add a little more olive oil if necessary.
• To peel the citrus fruit, use a small serrated knife. First, cut off a thin slice of peel from the top and bottom of the orange, so it can sit flat and securely on the cutting board. Use a sawing motion to take off the peel, cutting from top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit. Remove only the peel and white pith, not the flesh of the orange. It should now be perfectly spherical and naked. Peel remaining oranges and grapefruit in this fashion.
• Carefully slice peeled citrus crosswise. Arrange slices on a large serving platter in a random pattern, letting them overlap a bit here and there. Scatter onion, fennel and celery over top. Dot the surface with olives. Surround with salad leaves, if using.
• Whisk vinaigrette, and spoon evenly over the salad. Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt and serve.

CITRUS SALAD

Steps:

• Place a sieve over a medium bowl. Hold an orange over the bowl, and using a paring knife, cut along the membrane on both sides of each segment. Free the segments and let them fall into the sieve. Repeat with the grapefruit. Squeeze the membranes over the bowl to extract as much juice as possible, reserving the juices in the bottom of the bowl. Place the fruit segments and fennel in a salad bowl.
• In a blender or the bowl of a small food processor, blend together the oil, basil and 3 tablespoons of the reserved juice until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour over the fruit and fennel. Add the chopped walnuts and toss until all the ingredients are coated.

SICILIAN CHOPPED SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.

SICILIAN SALT COD AND ORANGE SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the salt cod.
• Soak the fish for at least 24 hours or preferably 48 hours, changing the water three to four times each day.
• When the fish has softened and lost its intense saltiness, rinse and drain it.
• Dry the fish as best you can with paper towels.
• Pull the fish into shreds with your hands.
• Prepare the salad.
• Cut off each end of each of the oranges (and the lemon if you are using one).
• Stand each orange on end and using a jig-saw motion slice away the skin and white pith.
• Slice the flesh of the fruit into chunks.
• Combine the chunks of fruit in a bowl with the olives, onion, chili, oil, vinegar, salt cod and oregano.
• Toss to mix well.
• Cover with plastic wrap and set aside, at room temperature, for at least an hour.
• To serve, arrange greens (if you're using them) on a platter and mound the salad on top.

SICILIAN ORANGE SALAD

Steps:

• On a serving platter, alternately arrange orange and onion slices, with the slices slightly overlapping. Sprinkle with basil. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with pepper.

SICILIAN CAULIFLOWER SALAD

Steps:

• Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Drop in the cauliflower florets and 2 tablespoons of the salt; cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes, then drain and shock in ice water; drain again.
• Place the cauliflower florets in a bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the vinegar, olive oil, pepper, olives, capers, gherkins, parsley, and anchovies, and set aside to marinate, tossing once in a while, for 1 hour to 6 hours at room temperature.
• Sprinkle with the hard-boiled eggs and enjoy. Serves 6.