Tag Archives: mercatodio&v

Orange Lettuce Salad

Posted on March 4, 2017 by nina in the kitchen

This simple salad can be whipped together in minutes! Oranges are the main feature.

The pink are called Cara Cara and the red are Blood Oranges. There are two types of blood oranges. Here I used the Moro orange which are available December through March. The other blood orange is Tarocco and are available from January through May. The Cara Cara is a cross between two naval oranges and their peak seasons are December and April. I bought them in February.

The mixed spring greens are beautiful and easy. I have found really fresh greens at Aldi, the European discount grocery store.

Edamame is very popular. I used the shelled version which is called mukimame. It’s all soybeans. The Target brand Archer Farms makes a frozen version I like!

High quality olive oil and white wine vinegar are essential for this delish dressing. I use champagne balsamic vinegar or a white balsamic vinegar from a local oil and vinegar shop. Mercato di O & V

Here’s what you need: Serves 4

4 cups mixed spring greens

2 Cara Cara oranges

2 blood oranges

1 cup shelled soybeans, also called edamame (mukimame)

1/4 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil

1/8 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon or less black pepper

Here’s how to do it:

Place the lettuce on salad plates
Sprinkle soybeans over lettuce
Slice the ends off the oranges, then slice the rest of the rind off from end to end. Leave no rind or white pulp
Cut each orange crosswise in 4 thick slices
Layer 2 of each orange slice on the salad
Combine the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl with a small whisk or shake it all together in a small jar with a lid
Pour about a tablespoon or so over each salad
Sprinkle with black pepper if you want
Voila!

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Posted in salads and tagged bloodoranges, caracaraoranges, edamame, mercatodio&v, morooranges, mukimame, soybeans, whitebalsamicvinegar. Bookmark the permalink.

Feta Cheese Ball Pops

Posted on December 4, 2016 by nina in the kitchen

My family loves cheese balls which are usually cheddar, blue and cream cheese rolled in walnuts and spread on crackers.

This recipe has a Middle Eastern edge to it made with feta cheese and a Greek cream cheese and yogurt blend, rolled in cashews and drizzled with honey and sprinkled with flaked sea salt. Plus these are individual bites stuck on a pretzel stick. Like a cake pop!

First thing is to blend with a hand or stand mixer

8 ounces of softened cream cheese or Greek cream cheese and yogurt, which contains less fat and has a tang to it!

8 ounces feta cheese, softened

Roll into bite size balls with your hands and place on a wax paper or parchment paper covered flat pan
Chill in the frig for 1 hour. The balls should keep their shape. If they are soft, place them in the freezer 15 minutes.
This recipe can be prepared in advance up to this point. The rest should be done just before serving or the nuts may get soggy.

Raw unsalted cashews have a real nutty flavor I crave!

If you have a source of home grown honey as I do, that’s the best! You’ll get the flavors of the local plants the bees polinate! Thank you Peachie Martin!

Flaked sea salt from Cypress is what I use. I purchase it at our local Mercato Di O & V, an olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt shop in Midland MI. This salt adds a little crunch and potent flavor.