Citrus Salad with Honeycomb Bruschetta
from Cookbook Author Stephanie RosenbaumServes 4
This refreshing salad is made for late winter and early spring, when it's particularly nice to get a burst of color onto the table. The sweet-tart oranges and crisp fennel are dressed with a snappy lemon vinaigrette, and served with warmed bruschetta topped with toasted walnuts and a glistening piece of golden honeycomb. However, if you don't have honeycomb, you can substitute a drizzle of your favorite mild honey.
INGREDIENTS:
1 small Red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bulb Fennel, cored, trimmed and thinly sliced
3 Cara cara or navel oranges
2 Blood oranges
1 handful Italian parsley, stems removed
2 handfuls Frisee or arugula
1 tsp. Grated orange and lemon rind
3 TB Meyer lemon juice
1 to 2 TB Mild honey, such as orange blossom, clover, star thistle or acacia
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
6 TB Olive oil
4 slices Baguette
½ cup Fresh goat cheese (chevre)
3 TB Walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped, or chopped pistachios
One 2 inch by 2 inch square of honeycomb, or 4 tsp. honey
PREPARATION:
Place onion slices in a bowl of ice water and set aside. Peel oranges, removing all white pith. Cut in thin round slices, or cut V-shaped slices all the way around each orange, freeing each segment from the membranes on either side. Coarsely chop parsley. Drain onions. Toss onions with orange slices, fennel, parsley, and frisee. (If using arugula, don't add until just before serving.)
Whisk dressing ingredients together, adding plenty of salt and pepper. Taste for acidity and salt, adding more honey, salt, or olive oil as necessary. Toss salad with dressing. Toast bread slices lightly and spread with goat cheese. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts or pistachios. Cut honeycomb into four squares and top each bruschetta with a square of honey comb, or top with a drizzle of honey. Serve salad with bruschetta on the side.
Variation: Use blue cheese instead of goat cheese