Arugula-Red Onion and Orange Salad

This is a recipe I learned while I was at a cooking seminar this past April called the Conscious Gourmet.  This was a wonderful 5 day vegetarian cooking course in Jupiter, FL.  It was lead by Diane Carlson and I learned to work with new ingredients and new flavor combinations.

I chose this salad for my Thanksgiving menu because it has curry and that gave me a Autumn feel to it.  My apologies for forgetting to take a picture of this…  I will make it again a do a whole photo shoot for you.

ARUGULA-RED ONION AND ORANGE SALAD

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon light sesame oil or canola oil

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced crosswise

4 cups arugula leaves

2 navel oranges

1. Pour the orange juice into a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and reduce, uncovered until you have 1/3 cup, about 15 minutes.

1. Combine the reduced juice in a small bowl with the garlic, salt and vinegar.  Whisk in the curry powder and oil.  Cut the top and bottom of the oranges.  Peel them with a knife, removing all the white pith exposing the flesh.  Cut segments of the orange following the line of each orange division.  or you can  just cut them crosswise, making discs of orange.
2. Heat 1″ of water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and add onions. Blanch for 30 seconds.  Drain and plunge in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again.
3. Place the arugula in a bowl along with the onions and orange segments.  Just before serving, toss with the dressing and serve.

My mom loved the salad.  Even though we normally do not mix vegetable salads with fruits, she admitted the orange helps cool off your palate from the heat of the curry dressing.  This is a very tasty salad. 

Try it and tell me your impressions.

Tags: arugula, curry, orange