La Vie En MODE x Casagiove Winter Recipe: Insalata di Arancia
Behind the Recipe
Most of my summers as a young girl in Italy were spent at my grandparents’ house in Recale. Two of my cousins lived right around the corner and one day they took me for a walk to pick some wild greens and some oranges from the family garden. Little did I know I was about to taste a little bit of heaven that day!
We returned with handfuls of a delicious type of green that looked and tasted similar to mâche, but this lettuce* was heartier and that heartiness added a deliciousness that couldn’t be matched. After barely rinsing the leaves and patting them dry, we added a little extra virgin olive oil, salt, some sections of juicy oranges and tossed it all together. It is to this day one of the yummiest salads I have ever eaten.
Ciao,
Owner of Casagiove California
P.S. My mom calls the type of lettuce we picked “pierchicchelle” and I have recently found out that it is known as purselane in the U.S., but I have been unable to find it anywhere near me.
“Oranges are in season in winter, and I love making a salad with them to highlight their sweetness and juiciness, while bringing out some of their savory qualities too… The colors and flavors of this salad are simple, bright and lively. The recipe is unexpected and sure to turn winter upside down and get you excited for spring!”
How to Make the Salad:
Step 1: Peel & slice the oranges into quarter inch thick disks (they look a little like citrus disco balls don’t they?).
Step 2: Arrange the orange slices on your dish.
Step 3: Add the greens over the orange slices.
Step 4: Slice red onion thinly & layer over the greens to taste.
Step 5: Chiffonade the basil & sprinkle it over the salad.
Step 6: Drizzle olive oil, be as generous as you want.
Step 7: Sprinkle with salt.
Step 8: Plate & enjoy!
Italianità // An Italian Thing
This salad is best made with fresh, seasonal ingredients, so go to your local famers market and pick up fresh produce the day you make your salad. Trust me, you’ll taste the difference.
Don’t be afraid to make the salad your own; add a little extra basil or maybe switch it out for mint, add some toasted almond slices, experiment with different varieties of oranges or types of greens. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to your creativity in the kitchen.
According to Bergen, Italians don’t like to be wasteful. A fun way to incorporate this into the salad recipe is to save your orange peels to add to sparkling or still water along with basil. This will infuse your water with a refreshing flavor (& make you look pretty fancy in front of your guests).
What We’re Wearing
Meagan: Dress—Reformation, Ankle Boots—ALDO, Makeup—Beauty Counter
Trish: Jeans—Levi’s, Sweater—Madewell, Yellow Mules—Steve Madden, Tortoise Ring—Linden Avenue, Hair—Lainey Monson Hair
What We’re Listening To
Blondie—Sunday Girl & Dreaming are our favorites (the fun and simple sound juxtaposed with an unexpected edge reminds us of Insalata di Arancia)
