Citrus Salad with Lime Tarragon Dressing

When I was child, "orange salad" was a special dish served at Christmas time at my grandparent's house. It was simple – orange slices, black olives and some olive oil – but it seemed so exotic to me back then.

For the most part, my relationship with oranges is routine. I usually just eat them on their own, or mix mandarin oranges into a fruit salad. Oh, but oranges are capable of so much more.

When I traveled to Italy in my early 20s I discovered blood oranges. You've never smelled air as sweet as that near the groves along the rail line somewhere between Rome and Sicily.

Travel to other orange growing areas – Florida, California – and you'll meet new varieties and be introduced to new ways to use oranges.

This winter, I've been trying to broaden my orange-eating horizons. I now love using citrus in dressings, like Garlic Orange Shrimp Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette.

When I happened on a Mark Bittman recipe for Winter Citrus Salad, I had to try it.

My oldest boy loves blood oranges and my husband and youngest son enjoy grapefruit, so a side dish that combines them is a ready-made hit at my house. Bonus: this dressing is wonderful on a green salad, too.

What's your favorite way to use oranges? I'd love to know!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Citrus Salad with Lime Tarragon Dressing

To make the salad:
2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into wheels
2 Cara Cara oranges, peeled and sliced into wheels
1 pink grapefruit, peeled and sliced into wheels
Salt

Combine sliced citrus in a bowl and sprinkle the salt. Set aside.

To make the dressing:
1medium shallot, minced
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Juice of 1 small to medium lime
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar. Cover tightly with lid and shake until well combined.

Drizzle about 1/4 to 1/3 of the dressing over citrus. Refrigerate remaining dressing and use throughout the week.

Garlic Orange Shrimp Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

With oranges in season, I couldn't resist buying a giant bag at my local warehouse store.

They are super-sweet and full of vitamin C, and I secretly hope that every time my kiddos eat one, they gain some extra germ-fighting powers.

To brighten and lighten-up our dinner time fare, I started searching for recipes that use fresh oranges. I hit on one from Bon Appetit for a citrus vinaigrette, which got me thinking. I had two bags of shrimp in the freezer and some nice butter lettuce. Today's dinner was taking shape.

You'll have plenty of leftover dressing, so you can enjoy it all week.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Garlic Orange Shrimp with Citrus Vinaigrette
Inspired by this recipe from Bon Appetit

For the shrimp:
2 16 ounce bags of peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 heads of butter lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried
1 orange, peeled and sliced

For the dressing:
1 small shallot, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 or 2 seedless oranges, (such as Navel or Cara Cara) peeled and sliced into rounds

Rinse shrimp and dry well with paper towels.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add half of the shrimp to pan and cook until pink. Remove shrimp to plate.

Add remaining oil to pan and swirl to coat. Add remaining garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add remaining shrimp and cook until pink.

Place all shrimp into pan and warm through. Sprinkle with orange zest, orange juice and salt and pepper. Stir gently.

Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Divide lettuce among 4 plates. Top with shrimp. Garnish with orange slices. Top with Citrus Vinaigrette.

To make the dressing:
Combine shallot, oil, vinegar, lemon and orange juices and zest in a medium-sized mason jar. Tighten lid and shake to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, replace lid and shake again. Dressing keeps in refrigerator for about 1 week.