“Dolcissimi!” is the cry vendors use to hawk sweet blood oranges at the daily winter market in Catania, a city on the eastern coast of Sicily. Pomologist David Karp, who wrote about the fruit in our January/February 1999 issue, says of this simple salad: “It’s perhaps the most classic dish made with Sicilian citrus, a favorite in both the trattorias and home kitchens of the region.” Make sure to use the ripest blood oranges you can find—they’re the star of this show.
Ingreadients:
- 8 medium blood oranges (about 3 lb.)
- 2 small red onions, halved and thinly sliced against the grain (about 1 cup)
- Flaky sea salt
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Direction
- Using a sharp paring knife, remove and discard the skin and as much pith as possible from the oranges. Slice the fruit crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices, then arrange on a serving platter. Scatter with onion slices, then season with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and serve at room temperature.
