vegetarian Archive

For the love of beets.

I apologize for the sudden outpouring of beet recipes on my blog. I don’t quite know what’s gotten into me.

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I did not like beets until somewhat recently. Not one bit. I don’t know what finally persuaded me, but suddenly I can’t get enough of them! They are just so darn beautiful (and tasty! And good for you!) So many great things rolled up into one pretty little package.

My theory behind the sudden outpouring of beet recipes is that I’m making up for lost time. All those years I spent hating beets…I had no idea what I was missing. So now that I’ve fallen in love with this ruby red root vegetable, I’m going a little beet crazy. To all you beet haters out there: I apologize. I know that my blog is quite beety at the moment. So, I promise that this will be the last of the beet recipes for awhile, OK? Besides, I have spring vegetables to concentrate on now. Bring on the asparagus, radishes, strawberries, snap peas, and more!

However, I will say one more thing to the beet haters out there. If you could find it in your heart to give beets another chance, you might be pleasantly surprised. Beets – when done right – are nothing like their soggy, ghoulish canned counterparts (don’t even get me started on canned beets: ICK!). With that being said, I’ll leave you with a few of the recipes that have helped me learn to love beets.

Beet Quinoa Pancakes
Boozy Beet and Apple Popsicles
BLBs – Bacon, Lettuce, and Beet Sandwiches

And now, for all you beet lovers…you’re in for a real treat. I have not one, but two beet recipes for you. I served both of these at my Cheese, Wine and Swine dinner party (However, I did not serve them together, as I thought that might be overdoing it a touch). The Babushka (beet cocktail) was paired with the melon and duck proscuitto appetizer, and the Roasted Beet and Fennel Salad was served as the second course (paired with a lovely French Rosé).

I’ll leave you all with this thought: this weekend, I planted 3 rows of chioggia beets in my garden. So when I harvest those little beauties, I can promise you I’ll go on a beet craze again. For now, I’ll leave you with these two recipes and lay off the beets for awhile. :)

The Babushka
(Makes 1 cocktail)
3 oz beet vokda (Click here for the recipe)
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon simple syrup (*or ginger simple syrup, recipe here)
1 oz of Prosecco (or other sparkling wine)

Method:
In pitcher or measuring cup, gently stir together beet vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup. Pour into a chilled martini glass. Gently pour prosecco over the top. Garnish with lemon wedge. Serve immediately.

Roasted Beet and Fennel Salad with Whipped Goat Cheese and Pistachio Vinaigrette
(Serves 4)
4 large beets
1 fennel bulb
1/2 cup good quality goat cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
1/3 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
1/8 tsp nutmeg
The juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roast beets: Wash the beets and remove greens (set aside for another use). Do not peel the beets. Wrap each beet in a piece of tinfoil and place directly on rack in preheated oven. Roast 45 minutes to an hour, or until beets are tender when pricked with a fork or knife. Allow beets to cool. Once cooled, the skin should peel or rub off easily. Remove skin and slice beets into 1/4 or 1/2 cubes.

Roast fennel: Remove tops (fronds) of the fennel, set aside for later. Slice fennel bulb thinly (like you would an onion), toss with olive oil to coat. Spread fennel in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven, or until tender.

Make pistachio vinaigrette:
Chop pistachios or pulse quickly in a food processor. Pour olive oil over the pistachios, stir to combine Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cider vinegar. The mixture will be thick.

Whip the goat cheese: using a whisk, blender, or hand mixer, whip goat cheese and creme fraiche together until goat cheese is whipped and fluffy. Add extra creme fraiche if needed. Season goat cheese mixture with nutmeg and a dash of black pepper.

Combine cooled beets and fennel in a mixing bowl. Toss with liberal amount of the pistachio dressing. Take reserved fennel fronds & chop finely – until you have 2 teaspoons worth. Sprinkle finely chopped fennel fronds over the salad, stir just to combine. Serve beet salad in small bowls and top with a healthy dollop of whipped goat cheese. Sprinkle extra pistachios atop the goat cheese. Serve at room temperature.

Note: For those of you who asked about recipes from the Cheese, Wine, and Swine dinner party: I hope you were pleased with what I’ve posted. This will be the last of them! My husband was responsible for making the duck prosciutto, and I’m still waiting on him to write up that post. :) And I’ll admit – the duck proscuitto was really tasty, but we’re definitely still beginners at the fine art of charcuterie. For a full tutorial on how to make your own duck proscuitto, go here.

Quinoa Tabouleh

My husband finds it incredibly ironic that my first post-Lent blog is for a vegan dish. (Note: the Radish & Leek Toasts don’t count. Even though I posted them after Lent, I made and consumed them during Lent).

Ok, I’ll admit…it is slightly ironic.

But, to be fair, the (vegan) quinoa tabouleh was served alongside of a roasted leg of lamb and a host of other non-vegan Easter delectables. I’m simply choosing to post my tabouleh recipe because it is really quite delicious (and because my friend Beyth has been begging me to post it for months).

That being said, Lent is over!!! Nich and I celebrated Easter in true Greek fashion, at St. John’s in Beaverton. Easter service begins at 11:30pm on Saturday and goes until about 3:30am (yes, you read that correctly. Church goes until 3:30 in the morning!). When the service was over, everyone broke the fast together and feasted on meat, cheese, wine, and other goodies. I can honestly say I’ve never drank wine with a priest (at church!) at 4:00 in the morning. It was kind of awesome.

But, in all seriousness, I loved every minute of it. The Orthodox know how to fast, but even more so, they know how to feast. There was so much joy in the whole experience, as people ate and drank together and celebrated the resurrection. You could see it in people’s eyes – they really believe it. Christos anesti. He is risen.

I feel grateful and humbled by the whole experience. Giving up meat, dairy and wine for 6 weeks wasn’t easy. But it was worth it. I learned a lot about myself. Quite frankly, I learned that it is good to go without.

So, I’m back to eating meat and dairy. And yet, here I am posting a meat and dairy-free recipe. The thing is, I really like vegan food. And while I’m not a full time vegan, I appreciate so much of what the vegan diet has to offer. I still plan on incorporating a lot of vegan meals into our meal rotation. That being said, I love cheese (and pork!) far too much to give it up completely. :)

So, all of this to say: use this tabouleh recipe in whatever way you please! It could easily be the star of a vegan meal, or it could be a lovely compliment to a roast leg of lamb. And of course, Happy Easter, happy Passover, and happy Spring. I hope this beautiful season finds you well.

Quinoa Tabouleh

1.5 cups uncooked Quinoa
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 bunch of curly parsley (not flat leaf), stems removed
2 Tablespoons fresh mint
1 small red onion (or 1/2 a large red onion)
The juice of 2 lemons
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (*you could use a full bell pepper, but I only had 1/2 on hand!)
1/4 cup olive oil (more, if needed)

Method:

Cook quinoa according to package directions (I cook mine in the rice cooker like rice. 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa). Set aside, allow quinoa to cool.

Chop vegetables into a very small dice. I use a food processor to chop the red onion, parsley and min. I chop the tomato and bell pepper by hand (as I like my tomato and bell pepper to be a slightly larger dice than everything else in the tabouleh).

Once the quinoa has full cooled, mix in tomato, parsley, onion, bell pepper and mint. Stir in lemon juice and olive oil. Season with fresh black pepper. Taste, and add more olive oil if the tabouleh seems dry.

Allow to sit for at least a couple hours before serving. The longer the tabouleh sits, the better it will taste. Squeeze a little extra fresh lemon juice over the tabouleh prior to serving.

Spring on a Plate: Radish & Leek Tartines

I had all sorts of aspirations about this being a lovely and word-filled post, celebrating the beauty of the Spring farmer’s market. And then…I got sick. Nothing too serious, mind you. Just your standard issue scratchy throat/stuffy nose/achy body/stupid head cold.

The most troubling side effect of this head cold? Truth be told, my brain just feels squashy. I don’t know how to describe it any better than that. Its like my synapses aren’t firing correctly and all the the things I’m thinking aren’t spilling out onto the page. Everything is sloshing about in my cloudy head. It isn’t pretty.

So, then, rather than write a lovely and lengthy blog post, I’m going to give my squashy cold-infested brain a rest. I will, however, leave you with photos and recipes for not one – but two – perfect spring toasts. I made these for dinner last week, after a trip to the PSU Farmer’s Market.

The husb & I were still in the midst of our Lenten fast, so I made the toasts with Earth Balance as opposed to real butter. However, now that I am eating meat and dairy again, you can bet that I’ll be making these toasts with butter. (Everything is better with butter. Amen and amen.)

So, then, here is how I transformed a few lovely farmer’s market purchases into a simple and delicious dinner (aka Spring on a Plate).

Radish Tartiness with Butter & Mint | Caramelized Leek Tartiness with Aged Balsamic

For the Radish Tartiness:

Several slices of crusty cread (I used slices of fresh homemade bread, and it was amazing)
1 small bunch of fresh radishes, washed
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1-2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (*Or use Earth Balance to make the recipe vegan friendly)
High quality sea salt, such as Fleur De Sel
Pepper, to taste
*Optional: feel free to stir any herbs you have on hand into the butter to make an herbed butter spread. I added in some chives and they worked nicely with the dish.

Add a dash of salt & pepper to butter, stir until mixture is smooth & creamy.

Wash radishes and slice thinly. Set aside.

Toast bread slices in a skillet on the stovetop with a dash of oil or butter, until bread is golden brown (Note: can also use a toaster for this). Allow the bread to cool for a minute or two before spreading the butter mixture on it.

Spread butter mixture atop of toasted bread slices. Top butter mixture with a thin layer of radish slices. Sprinkle with fresh mint, garnish with extra salt and pepper if you so desire. Serve immediately.

For the Leek tartines:

A few slices of crusty bread
2 small leeks, sliced into thin rounds (white & light green parts)
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
Good quality aged balsamic vinegar (*Note: aged balsamic vinegar is noticeably thicker and sweeter than your typical balsamic. If you don’t have an aged balsamic, you could make an balsamic reduction to achieve a similar effect. Simply simmer balsamic vinegar on the stovetop in a small saucepan until the vinegar reduces and thickens.)
Freshly ground black pepper

In a small pan, heat a dash of olive oil. Add in sliced leeks, stir to coat in olive oil (add more if necessary). Slowly cook leeks over medium-low heat until caramelized (about 30 minutes). The leeks should be tender and starting to slightly brown. Once the leeks have caramelized, remove from heat.

As with the radish toasts, toast a few slices of bread in a skillet (or toaster). Spread a thin layer of butter over each piece of toast. Top with a generous pile of caramelized leeks, a healthy drizzle of aged balsamic and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.

Chickpea Pancakes & Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Recipe for a perfect night:

1 Sunny Friday evening in Portland, Oregon
1 Dear friend, Mari
2 Glasses chilled Rosé
1 Porch swing
2 Chickpea pancakes
1 Generous helping of warm shaved Brussels sprout salad
2 Tickets to the Trailblazers vs. Lakers game at the Rose Garden
1 Huge victory over the Lakers by the Trailblazers

Combine all of these elements together and you have a (nearly) perfect evening.

The only reason I say nearly perfect – as opposed to completely perfect – is simply because my husband wasn’t able to join in on all the fun. He had to work late (boo, hiss).

But, my friend/food blogger/Blazer nerd Mari is a lovely substitute when the husband isn’t available, and we did it up right last Friday.

We drank good wine.
We soaked in the sun.
We ate good food.
We watched a great basketball game.
We wore our matching LaMarcus Aldridge Jerseys (like the dorks we are) and cheered on our boys.

We even met Blaze the Trail Cat (YES. Our mascot is really a cat. And, yes. His name is really Blaze the Trail cat.)

The food was fabulous, the company was superb, and the basketball game was nothing short of amazing.

But, enough of this basketball craziness. This is, after all, a food blog (as opposed a basketball blog), so I feel the need to tell you about the food that contributed to our perfect evening.

The chickpea pancakes are a recipe I’d seen on the almighty Tastespotting. I always keep an arsenal of Gluten Free recipes around for nights when Mari visits, and this recipe was at the top of my list. Not only was the recipe gluten free, but it was vegan (yay Lent!), required minimal prep and/or ingredients, and it looked unbelievably tasty.

The original recipe paired the chickpea pancakes with a lovely green salad. I didn’t have the makings for a lovely green salad, but I did have a bunch of Brussels sprouts that I needed to use up. So, then, I simply made up a “salad” using the Brussels and various other ingredients I had laying about. The result: a warm shaved Brussels sprout salad with shallot, almonds, and lemon. It was the perfect compliment to the chickpea pancake.

I served the warm salad atop the chickpea pancake, with a drizzle of Goddess dressing over the top.

Recipe: Chickpea Pancakes (Socca) with Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
3 cups Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed
1 small shallot, diced
The juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
Dash of red chili flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Using a knife or mandoline, slice Brussels sprouts very thinly.

Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium high heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Set almonds aside.

In the same skillet, warm 1 tablespoon quality olive oil (or clarified butter). Add minced shallot to the pan and cook until translucent.

Add in sliced Brussels, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until sprouts are starting to wilt (but are still green and crisp). Remove pan from heat, and toss the Brussels mixture with lemon juice, salt, pepper, chili flakes and toasted almonds. Serve warm.

The recipe for the chickpea pancakes can be found at Whole Living Daily.

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

My husband made an observation about me the other day, and I thought it was rather funny (and yet strangely true). He’d been at work all day at his new job, which happens to be on the other side of town. When he got home, he found me finishing up a bunch of projects: namely, laundry, mopping the floors, and baking a batch of whole wheat apple muffins. He took one look at me (and our sparkly house) and said: “Whenever I leave you at home alone for an extended period of time, I know one of two things are going to happen. One: you’re going to cook. Two: You’re going to clean. Honestly, you’ll probably do both.”

Its funny because he’s right. If left to my own devices, I will do one (or both) of those things. So, now I’m left to wonder: when did I get so predictable? Or, rather, when did I get so darn domestic?

You see, Nich and I share a car and I’m still getting used to being “stuck” at home when he’s at work on the other side of the city. Thankfully, with the way our work schedules overlap, I’m not stuck at home too much (and if I really wanted to go out and about, I can just walk or bus. I’m not actually stuck). And, really, I’m starting to realize that I like this new arrangement. I like having a few hours at home by myself as it gives me a chance to clean, get organized, catch up on emails, etc. More importantly: it gives me a chance to work on cooking projects!

As I mentioned in my last post, I tend to be a bit of a busy bee. So, in a weird way, this new arrangement is somewhat of a blessing. I actually really enjoy cooking and cleaning and now I have ample time to do both. Nich, bless him, places absolutely no expectations on me. Because of this, I feel a certain freedom with getting things done around the house. I’m domestic because I want to be, not because its expected of me. I cook and clean because I find it relaxing and rewarding.

So, then, getting back to the whole wheat apple muffins. I made a batch of these on a Saturday when Nich was at work. I had the day to myself, a few extra apples lying around, and I was itching for something to bake. I discovered this recipe from Smitten Kitchen and thus my Saturday plans were decided. I baked to my hearts content and the muffins turned out splendidly!

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
(Makes about 1 and a half dozen)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown or muscovado sugar
1 large egg
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

Method:
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare the muffin tins: Grease or line 18 muffin cups and set aside.

Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together butter, white sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown/muscovado sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well; stop once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Gently mix in the yogurt. (Note: I found the mix to be a little thick and dry at this point. I added a couple tablespoons of water to thin the batter) Stir in the dry ingredients and then fold in the apple chunks.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, sprinkling the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on top. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400°F, and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Note: These make for great on-the-go breakfasts! I froze the muffins and would grab a couple every day for breakfast at work. 30 seconds in the microwave (and with a little bit of butter) and they were as good as fresh!

Black Truffle and Chanterelle Risotto (and the Great Valentine’s Dining Dilemma)

To dine out or to dine in? This is the dilemma I am faced with every year for Valentine’s day.

The case for Dining Out is simple: Going out to eat for Valentine’s Day means I get to eat a fancy, exquisite, delicious meal that is prepared for me. Read: I don’t have to do any work. There is a certain romance and ambiance that comes with eating out. There are new places to try (and cross of our list!). There are no dishes to wash at the end of the evening.

On the other hand, however, the Dining In option also presents a worthy argument: Dining at home is quiet, romantic, and intimate. It is much cheaper than going out. You don’t have to deal with the hassle of reservations or crowds. There isn’t a crappy pre fixe Valentine’s menu. You are in control of your destiny! A night in can be as simple or fancy as you want it to be, in the comfort of your own home.

All that to say: I’m conflicted! Last year, Nich and I stayed at the Ace Hotel downtown and had dinner at Clyde Common. It was fabulous! We got all dressed up and had a night on the town and it was all so magical. This year, however, we are scaling it back a bit. Nich just started a new job and doesn’t have any vacation time yet, so we can’t get away for the evening. We’ve been debating about whether or not we are going to make reservations anywhere for dinner, but truth be told: I just don’t feel like it. I think I’d rather stay in.

The only issue I’m having with staying in for V-day this year is that Nich and I already had the perfect “date night in”. It was last Friday and we didn’t have any plans for the evening and Nich had a grand idea. Fresh Oregon Black Truffles were on sale at Pastaworks, and he (wisely) suggested we needed to take advantage of these beauties while they lasted. We picked up one sizeable truffle and at $160.00/lb it only came out to $6.50 (That is a steal for black truffles!). Since the truffle was surprisingly affordable, we decide to splurge and get some local chanterelle mushrooms as well. Inspired by CM’s truffled risotto (and squash blossoms!), I knew exactly what we were going to do with our beautiful truffle and chanterelles. We were going to make risotto!

A couple of hours later, and Nich and I were in culinary heaven. We feasted on Black Truffle and Chanterelle Risotto, Blood Orange and Hazelnut Salad, and paired it with a bottle of 2007 Erath Estate Pinot Noir. It was utter decadence (and it was all local!). I think we really, truly outdid ourselves this time. Which, then, leaves me to wonder: What the heck am I going to do for Valentine’s Day? How can we top this? But, maybe – just maybe – that is precisely the point. Maybe we can’t top that meal, and maybe we don’t need to. Call me old-fashioned, but I’m of the opinion that romance doesn’t need to be confined to one particular Hallmark holiday. Sometimes, the best dates just happen on a random weeknight. Its not that I have anything against Valentine’s Day – I want an excuse to drink champagne and eat chocolates as much as the next – but I’m a firm believer that Valentines should be one date night among many.

That being said, I really have no idea what we’re doing for Valentine’s day this year. All I know is that we are staying in! I can figure out the menu later, right? As for you, dear reader, you’re set. I just figured out your Valentines plans for you: Make this risotto, open a bottle of wine, and spend the evening with the one(s) you love. Or don’t make it on Valentine’s day (to heck with romance!)! Just promise me you’ll make it at some point. This is simply too delicious, you must try it for yourself sometime.

P.S. If fresh truffles aren’t available in your neck of the woods, don’t sweat it. You can subsitute with a couple dashes of truffle oil (which is available in most specialty markets, Whole Foods, New Seasons, etc). Or you can skip the truffle altogether and just use chanterelles or other mushrooms!

BLACK TRUFFLE AND CHANTERELLE RISOTTO
(Adapted from Burwell General Store and this recipe on Open Source Food)

3/4 cup arborio rice
6 cups (or so) of Organic chicken, vegetable, or mushroom stock (We used chicken)
3 Tablespoons butter
1 cup (or more) of chanterelle mushrooms, washed and cut into quarters
1/2 black truffle, minced
1 large shallot (or 2 small shallots), minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp fresh sage, minced
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat stock in a small pan, preferably next to the burner you’ll be cooking your risotto on. Keep stock heated over low heat while you make the risotto.

2. Heat butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add in the minced shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes. Next, add in the chanterelle mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes. Once the mushrooms just barely begin to brown, add in the arborio rice. Stir well, to ensure that the rice is evenly coated in butter (add more butter if need be.) Add in a dash of the minced truffle, and stir to coat. After the rice is coated and sizzling (about 5 minutes), deglaze the pan with white wine (i.e. pour in the wine!).

3. Stir the rice constantly, and allow the wine to absorb. Once the wine has absorbed, start adding the stock in 1/2 cup at a time. With each 1/2 cup of stock, keep stirring and allow the stock to absorb completely before adding the next half cup of stock.

4. After about 30-40 minutes, the risotto should be thick and creamy. Test the rice, and when it is just barely al dente (tender with a tiny bit of crunch) stir in the parmesan, sage, salt, pepper, and the rest of the minced black truffle. Allow to cook for just a minute or two more, then remove from heat.

5. Garnish with fresh shaved parmesan, sage leaves, and shaved black truffle. Serve immediately! (Note: if using truffle oil instead of fresh truffles, stir in the oil with the parmesan and sage).

blood orange, escarole & hazelnut salad

Oftentimes I find that the best dishes aren’t the ones that are carefully planned out. Rather, the perfect dishes are haphazardly thrown together at the last minute. This is one of those dishes.

A few nights ago, Nich and I decided we were going to stay in, make a fabulous dinner, and watch a movie. We knew that we wanted to make risotto for dinner (more on that in my next post), but I wasn’t sure what to make alongside it. Risotto is so rich and delicious, so I wanted to pair it with something fresh and vibrant.

So, as we meandered about Pastaworks gathering supplies for our dinner, I decided to let the produce do the talking. I was thrilled to see that they had a good selection blood oranges onhand. I happen to looooooove blood oranges. So much so, that I might go out on a limb and say that they are the sexiest of all fruits (and they are in season!). In addition to the blood oranges, I picked up a head of escarole (a bitter green in the endive/frisee family) and knew that I had the beginnings of a killer salad.

With such fabulous base ingredients, I didn’t need to add much to make this salad sing. I decided to toss the escarole and blood orange segments with toasted hazelnuts and fresh grated parmesean, along with a blood orange vinaigrette. It was perfect (if I do say so myself). Each ingredient stood out on its own, while complimenting the salad as a whole. And, if you’ll excuse me while I pat myself on the back a bit more – I was also really pleased with the blood orange vinaigrette that I “invented”. Since I got all fancy and segmented the blood oranges, I was left with the peel and ‘innards’. I was struck by the gorgeous blood red color, and decided to do something about it. I soaked the orange peel and innards in olive oil for awhile, then macerated the orange bits and strained out the oil. What I was left with was essentially a blood orange infused olive oil – and it was every bit as tasty as it was pretty! I then made a relatively standard vinaigrette (with garlic, vinegar, s&p…) using the infused olive oil. It was magical.

I will now sign off and simply urge you to make this simple and seasonal salad. Come on now, try the magic out for yourself. ;)

BLOOD ORANGE, ESCAROLE & HAZELNUT SALAD

Salad:
1 head of escarole, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces. (Frisee or any other bitter salad greens would work just as well)
2 small blood oranges, peeled & segmented (*if you want to be fancy like me and make proper “suprêmes”, The Kitchn has a handy little tutorial.)
1/2 cup whole hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Blood orange vinaigrette:
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
Rinds & trimmings from the segmented blood oranges
1 small shallot, finely minced
1-2 tsps pomegranate or red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Method:
Soak the blood orange rind and peel in 1/2 cup (or more) of good quality olive oil. Let stand for 30+ minutes. After the mixture has had time to sit, macerate the orange (with the end of a wooden spoon, a mojito muddler, a potato masher – whatever you can find to beat up the orange bits and get them to release flavor!). Strain out the oil, using cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve.

Combine oil with minced shallot, vinegar, and salt and pepper (to taste). (Hint: The longer you let the vinaigrette sit before you use it, the better it will taste!)

Toss escarole, hazelnuts, and blood orange segments together with the vinaigrette. Grate fresh parmesan over the salad and gently toss. Serve immediately (and of course, enjoy!).