This salad is a stellar addition to a midwinter antipasto plate, full of bright flavors that seem to hint at warmer days ahead. In the short, dark days of a Seattle January, that’s especially welcome. Because of the salad’s simplicity, it’s important to use the heaviest, sweetest oranges you can find and use a firm, briny olive. Arbequinas or Gaetas are fine substitutes for the Taggiascas; mushy supermarket Kalamatas are not. Serve the salad shortly after you prepare it. As it sits, the flavor of the shallot continues to develop and the lovely balance of the salad is lost.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　2 blood oranges

　　2 Cara Cara oranges

　　2 small shallots, or 1/4 small red onion

　　1/2 cup pitted Taggiasca olives

　　1/4 cup best-quality olive oil

　　

Step 1

Cut the top and bottom off each orange. Using a sharp knife, slice down between the pith and the flesh of the orange, following the curve of the fruit. Repeat until all the peel and pith is removed. Slice crosswise and remove any seeds. Arrange the slices on a platter.

　　

Step 2

Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice the shallots into paper-thin rings. Separate and scatter over the orange slices. Garnish the salad with the olives and drizzle with the olive oil. Serve immediately.

　　Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen