Recipes of the Month

December 2007: This month, two recipes for salads well-suited to the winter

Radicchio and Orange Salad

In this complementary combination, the orange adds just enough sweetness to offset the slight tartness of the radicchio. The long-leafed radicchio di Treviso is preferable because of its cold-weather tenderness, but the round variety can also be used.

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 head of radicchio, cleaned and dried
1 large navel orange
Premium extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Cut the radicchio leaves crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

Peel the orange, separate it into sections, and remove all of the white pith. Cut the sections into 1/2-inch pieces.

Put the radicchio and the orange in a salad bowl, add olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste, and toss well.

Orange and Olive Salad

This is one Italian variation of the classical Moroccan salad, which also uses cumin and Cayenne pepper.

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 or 2 large navel oranges
1 cup of oil-cured black olives
Premium extra-virgin olive oil
1 handful of chopped parsley
Salt

Peel the orange, separate it into sections, and remove all of the white pith. Cut the sections into 1/2-inch pieces.

Pit the olives and cut them in half.

Put the oranges, olives, and parsley into a salad bowl. Add olive oil and salt to taste, mix well, and serve.