A salad I found in Florence
Some flavours stay with you. In Florence I was served a salad of bitter leaves, dressed in something bright and golden. It tasted wholly of orange, yet there wasn't a slice of fruit in sight. I have never forgotten it.
The market
The Mercato Centrale is where it begins. Crates of pink radicchio, speckled Castelfranco and the long, curling Treviso sit stacked side by side, almost too pretty to eat. These are leaves with structure and a gentle bitterness. They hold their shape, and they carry a dressing beautifully. They aren't watery like a lettuce such as cos, so they don't dilute the flavour. Peppery arugula and frilly frisée work just as well, on their own or tossed through.
Images and words by Jade Thomas
The dressing
Closer to home, I had the most perfect version of this salad at Such and Such in Canberra City. It brought the memory of Florence straight back, and I have been making it ever since.
The dressing is the secret. A whole navel orange, peel and all, blended with olive oil and a little honey until smooth. The peel brings depth, the honey softens it, and the citrus meets the bitterness of the leaves in a way slices of orange never quite do.
This salad is only as successful as the quality of its ingredients. I really think you need to consider each one, and procure the finest you can, to make it well.
Whole orange dressing
(I'm really guided by taste, but this recipe is a good starting point.)
- 1 navel orange, skin on
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- About ½ cup olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper
Blend the orange, vinegar and honey until very fine. With the blender running, pour in the oil slowly until creamy. Season to taste, then toss through the leaves just before serving.
