A little more than a year ago a group of slow travel community members decided to participate in a weekly cooking experiment. We would all try the same recipe and then blog (or post in the slow travel food and drink forum for those who don't have blogs) about it on Sunday.
We started off as bakers. . . examining Dolce Italiano by the uber talented Gina dePalma (also a slow travel community member).
Then we became scoopers as we learned how to make ice cream . . . using the Perfect Scoop by the wonderful David Lebovitz.
Then we started ladling soups- just in time for the return of cold weather. We didn't use a single cookbook for this, rather we all selected a tried and true recipe that we enjoyed. The soup making lasted five months! We never got bored nor did we have a recipe that made us go 'ewww'.
I've had a few readers ask 'what next . . .?'
Well, as of today we are exploring salads. 18 of us have signed on for this which means I'll be tossing a salad every week until August 23rd. Most of the group have posted their selections and I'm really looking forward to this! Again we decided not to go with one cookbook - which is good because I own more than 100 as it is . . . most of which I never open up any longer.
Maria'tossed' togetherr the logo . . based upon a photo that Diana - owner of the Best B and B in Italy, if not the world, posted a few weeks ago.
First up is a lovely salad selected by Eden. Eden created this salad and writes: The salad that I made was inspired by Palma and Jerry's creation using blood oranges, so I could call this Palma and Jerry Salad... or use the one up there because it involved my hunting for my main ingredient... Blood Oranges. The recipe is one of those wonderful flexible ones - you can add of subtract depending upon your tastes and what is on hand.
If you're wondering what salads I've made using blood oranges the recipe is here. Palma has a great looking salad using blood oranges posted here - it looks from her post as if her friend Jan brought it over during the Xmas holidays. YUM We all need friends like that!
Happily I didn't have to forage very far at all to find the blood oranges!
Eden's Foraging the City Salad
Some greens - use your favorite or a combination of favorite greens
Blood Oranges - at least two or three if they are small
Berries - whatever is fresh
Dried Cranberries
Crumbled cheese
Roasted candied pecans
Croutons (optional)
Eden's really simple put together method:
I found out that slicing the blood oranges and then peeling them with a knife going around the circumference of the slice was much easier than peeling and segmenting them. This will take the most time, so start with preparing the blood oranges.
On your salad plate or your serving bowl, start with a bed of greens. Continue by assembling the ingredients on top.
Just before serving, you can add the cheese and your favorite salad dressing.I had croutons on the side but no one used them.
Your salad looks great! I used blackberries also, but couldn't find blood oranges. I've posted many salads on my blog using oranges also, but I'll have to go back and see if any of them were blood oranges. I rarely see them for sale here, but I sometimes get them from my CSA. Hope you enjoy your Cinnamon ice cream(I'm still thinking I have to make some-I'm leaving town tomorrow for a week, so I'll have to check the expiration date on my cream).
Posted by: Cindy Ruth | April 26, 2009 at 04:27 PM
Good looking salad! I saw the vinaigrette recipe you posted on the food forum and I'll trying that one next time. Annie's vinaigrette went very well with the ingredients I used. I couldn't find blood oranges -- every produce guy said they were out of season already -- so I used back yard oranges.
Love the recap on the history of the ST cooking group. :)
Posted by: María | April 26, 2009 at 11:55 PM
The term salad when used alone applies to green leaves or stalks that are eaten uncooked. An extension of the term salad, as now more generally used throughout the world, applies to a salad plant, with or without other foods, and a dressing.
Posted by: care | April 27, 2009 at 12:58 AM
Yum. Looks great. This was a yummy salad.
Posted by: Candi | April 27, 2009 at 07:12 AM
I used strawberries but your blackberries look wonderful too. I'll use those next time I make this.
Posted by: Annie | April 27, 2009 at 08:18 AM
Thanks again for the vinaigrette recipe, it was really good on the salad, leading to muse about why the heck I don't make my own dressings more often.
Posted by: Marcia | April 27, 2009 at 02:44 PM
Now I feel badly about whining about the demise of the soups on Sundays...and am cheering the thoughts of salads on Sundays...oh, goody goody, as we used to say as kids. Bring on the salads!
Posted by: Kayte | April 27, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Jerry, love that you began our salad adventure by recapping all of our other themes. Rereading the history was fun!
Posted by: Deborah | April 27, 2009 at 10:35 PM
Cindy - the ice cream was wonderful. A strange mix with a delicious and healthy salad though! LOL
Maria - I will try that dressing next.
It as a great salad wasn't it Candi - isn't amazing how simple tastes great!
Once we get some strawberries up here that don't taste dull I will try that version.
Marcia - it was a good vinaigrette recipe wasn't it? We had it last night again . . .
Kayte - hold on to your shoes - this is gonna be great!
Deborah - isn't incredible to remember where we've been? We have done so much over the past year.
Posted by: Jerry | April 28, 2009 at 11:02 AM