Hi everyone,

I love citrus fruits! This being the season for delicious oranges, and with my passion for photography, I decided to first photograph these beautiful blood oranges, and then make one of my favorite salads- it has blood orange and red onions. It’s crisp, fresh, and delicious! I hope you enjoy!

In Sicily, citrus fruits (agrumi) are enjoyed as a savory as well as a sweet, usually served between courses or at the end of a meal. Since fresh citrons are hard to find in America, here’s another citrus salad popular in Sicily, especially in the winter months, when oranges are at their best. Customarily it is made with blood oranges- sanguine or tarocchi- and that’s the way I like it best, though any small, juicy oranges will be delicious. It is great as an appetizer, a refreshing end-of-the-meal salad, or an accompaniment to boiled or grilled meats.

Blood Orange and Red Onion Salad
Insalata di Arance e Cipolle
Serves 6

8 or more small blood oranges
1 medium red onion
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or to taste
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons best-quality extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

………………………….

With a sharp thin-bladed knife, shave off the peel and pith of each orange completely, exposing the flesh of the fruit. Slice the oranges into rounds about 1/3 -inch thick (you’ll have about 4 cups of slices in all). Handle them gently so they remain intact.

Peel the onion, and slice it into very thin rounds (about 1-1/2 cups in all).

Lay out the orange rounds on a serving platter prettily (I pile up all the broken pieces in the center, making a colorful mound). Separate the onion rings, and scatter all over the oranges.

Sprinkle the salt over the top. Grind lots of coarse pepper over the top. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of your best olive oil all over the top. Shower the parsley over all. And serve!

Buon appetito!