Olive it

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I was looking for a fresh and light salad to incorporate into my clients’ winter lunch repertoire.  This one from the December 2012 Bon Appétit caught my eye, with its elegant simplicity and creative combination of flavors and textures.  

I’ve dehydrated olives before, but for some reason have never thought to fry them for a garnish.  Frying the oil-cured black olives somehow brings out their fruitiness, which then pairs so well with the flowery acidity of the citrus and the fragrant piney-ness of the fried rosemary.

The original recipe calls for Cara Cara and blood oranges, but I used a combination of pink grapefruit, navel oranges, and Cara Cara.  I paired the salad with a handful of baby arugula (dressed with salt and olive oil), crostini, and sauteed shrimp drizzled with lemon oil.