Blood Orange Salad w/ Dates on Arugula

Here is yet, another terrific recipe from Suzanne Goin's Sunday Suppers at Lucques.



Thankfully, this wasn't one of her recipes that takes all day.

Sara from Sara's Kitchen Blog reminded me of how delicious this salad was, so I decided to make this beautiful salad for Passover, because the nuts and the dates are just perfect for this holiday.

I followed her recipe for the most part, except used the Huile J. Leblanc French Walnut Oil instead of that same Huile Leblanc brand almond oil she recommends, and substituted regular toasted almonds for the Marcona almonds (which I know are better, but I used what I had on hand).



I found the blood oranges to be simply delicious. I loved them paired with the nut oil, dates and cheese on peppery arugula. So simple, but yet so amazingly delicious & balanced.

The blood oranges were difficult to slice without falling apart, since the sections did not hold together in pinwheel shapes after removing the skin and pith, but it worked out anyway. I just scattered them all over the arugula in layers.

Make sure you use good Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and good Medjool dates.

Blood Orange Salad w/ Almonds and Dates on Arugula: (changed a bit by me)

4 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into pinwheels (good luck with that).
1/4 cup of toasted Marcona or regular almonds (I toast them in the toaster oven
15 Medjool dates, pits removed, and sliced in half
1 cup of washed arugula
a few slices (shaved with a vegetable peeler) of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
3 tbsp of French walnut or almond oil
some of the juice from the blood oranges
fleur de sel & pepper

Ms. Goin suggests you layer the salad, by starting with the arugula, then carefully place your blood orange slices on top, then your dates, then cheese slices then nuts.
Repeat this one more time, and drizzle with your nut oil and some juice from one of the oranges.

Sprinkle w/ a little fleur de sel and black pepper.