Orange, Pomegranate, and Almond Salad with Orange Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Bring on the freshness with this salad that will liven the depths of winter. You warm climate people, brag away about your spring weather but just a little.

The salad appeals to the eyes with vibrant orange and deep red colors along with the brightness and lightness that we crave in the midst of heavy winter dishes. Of course you can eat this salad anyway you like but it goes especially well between a cream based soup (think bisque) and a rich meat such as braised lamb.

Don’t come at me that pomegranates aren’t a winter fruit. While they’re a fall fruit, they keep well a long long time in your refrigerator. I’m not above storing them to bring color and flavor to my winter meals. Tip – if they’re in your produce drawer, make sure it’s not too humid or mold will form on the peel. If you catch it early enough, you can rinse the mold off and all will be good. If you wait too long, the seeds will start to turn to mush.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette Ingredients
1 small shallot (only need 2 tsp)
1 clove garlic (about 2 tsp)
2-3 oranges
2 lemons
¼ c avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
¼ c pomegranate molasses
1/8 tsp salt

Pomegranate Vinaigrette Directions
Cut off the two ends of the shallot. Peel it. Slice it in half from pole to pole. Slice very thin strips from pole to pole then cut it across to create a small dice. Put 2 tsp of the shallots into 24 -32 ounce jar with a secure lid (use a bowl if you don’t have one). Save the remaining shallots for another dish (or add them to the salad if you like).

Slice off the dry end of a garlic clove. Smash it with the flat side of your knife. Remove the skin and mince. Put about ½ tsp in the jar. Add 2 Tbl of red wine vinegar to the jar and allow the shallots and garlic to soak for 5-10 minutes. Time will help to cut the sharpness of the shallots and garlic.

Zest the orange. If you don’t have a zester, you can use the small holes of a box grater but be gentle so you don’t get the bitter white parts. You want 2 tsp of zest, so zest another orange if needed.

Squeeze the orange to get ½ c of juice. Add it to the jar. Squeeze lemons to get a ¼ c of juice. I don’t use a juicer (mainly I don’t want to clean it or store it). I roll citrus back and forth on the counter a few times while applying pressure to soften the rind. Then I stick a fork in the flesh and squeeze. Move the fork around a few times until all of the juice is out.

Add ¼ c of avocado oil, 1/8 tsp of salt, and ¼ c pomegranate molasses to the jar. Screw the cap on and shake vigorously until it’s well incorporated. If you put the ingredients in a bowl, use a whisk to corporate the ingredients.

Unscrew the lid carefully or you’ll have dressing leaking everywhere, and taste. It should be quite acidic (the salad ingredients will cut the acid). If you’re unsure, dip a leaf or two into the dressing and taste. If it’s too acidic, you can add oil or orange juice if you want it sweeter. If you want it more acidic, add more pomegranate molasses. Vinegar or lemon will also do the trick but you don’t want the pomegranate flavor to get lost especially once it’s on the salad. Add more salt if you want.

Notes
You can substitute other neutral oils for the avocado oil. I don’t recommend olive oil which competes with the other flavors in a not good way. Grapeseed or sunflower oil are really good substitutes. I would even use canola or vegetable oil before going the olive oil route.

Orange, Pomegranate, and Almond Salad
(2 servings)
3 overflowing cups of greens (arugula, spinach, spring mix)
5 Tbl orange pomegranate vinaigrette
1-2 oranges (need 1 c of flesh)
1 pomegranate (will use ½ c of seeds)
2 Tbl slivered raw almonds

Orange, Pomegranate, and Almond Salad Directions
Put 1 Tbl of vinaigrette on the bottom of the plate and spread. Add 1 heaping cup of greens and drizzle 1 Tbl of vinaigrette on top. Repeat two more times. Add an additional 1 Tbl of dressing for good measure (2 Tbl of dressing on top layer).

Use a sharp knife and cut off the two ends of the orange. Stand it on end. Slice off the rind and white pith in vertical strips. Slice the orange in ½” rounds across the equator (you’ll have flat circles). Then cut it into triangles like pizza. The small rounds might be in 1/4ths but a larger one might be cut into 1/6ths. Sprinkle 1 c of the orange pieces on top of the salad.

Clean the pomegranate. For tips and detailed instructions, go to the Fennel, Satsuma, and Pomegranate Salad post. Add ½ c of the seeds on top. Top it off with slivered almonds (or chop whole almonds).

Notes
I typically go for roasted nuts in salads. For reasons unknown to me, raw almonds work so well in this salad. Roasted sunflower seeds are my favorite substitution but pecans, walnuts, and Brazil nuts also work well.

If you’re making this for a party in a large bowl, make sure you do multiple layers of each ingredient. It is so disappointing to have a tasty salad that ends up being only a pile of greens after the first few people serve themselves. Always leave the dressing on the side. Despite what my childhood self thought, soggy salad is not good.

Party tip. Unless there’s an allergy issue, I don’t recommend keeping the salad ingredients separate. Part of my reason is people will not build the salad the way you want. They would probably not use enough toppings or more than likely will skip some of the ingredients. In some salads this would be fine, but in this one, you want the blend of flavors. The other reason is a giant bowl of dry greens does not look appealing next to other party foods. Most people will skip the salad or have a two bites of obligatory salad on their plate.

A simple salad of mixed greens (make sure you have plenty of red leaf lettuce for color) with avocado chunks and nuts or seeds is delicious with the dressing. The fattiness of the avocado and the tartness of the dressing make a match made in heaven. It also lets the dressing shine a little more.