Friday, April 11, 2008

Yep - finally another recipe!

Doesn't that look fresh and yummy?

The last couple of days have just been crazy. My youngest daughter is training for a skating competition so it means a few extra visits to the skating rink and then with just a bunch of busy days I haven't really been cooking but just throwing meals together. Granted they have been very healthy meals but thrown together all the same so I haven't been taking any pictures or trying any new recipes.

Yesterday I was determined to get back on track. I went to the Ft Myers Farmer's Market. It is a "green market" but not organic. This means that there are no crafts and stuff. It only sells what has been grown. I so miss Worden Farm Farmer's Market but enough of my whining! I was able to get some things that I had needed - local oranges, mangoes, lettuce, shallots and information. So I guess I need to at least support the local farmers at this market even though most of the stuff was imported. They need the money to plant in the fall and we all have to make a living somehow!

A couple of days ago though Robin at Caviar and Codfish (one of my favorite blogs) posted a recipe that I knew I had to try. Citrus Sunflower Green Bean Salad. It was using green beans and blood oranges. I had yellow beans and just regular oranges but the flavor was incredible. The only thing different I would say was that mine looked a bit bland compared to the vibrant colors of Robin's!

Segmenting the oranges for the bean salad. This is the easiest way to remove all the pith and skin. Once you have them skinned you just cut along side the membrane to remove the segments!

Citrus Sunflower Green Bean Salad

serves 6-8//adapted from Techniques of Healthy Cooking

For the salad:

  • 1 1/2 pounds green beans, washed and trimmed
  • 3 blood oranges, cut into segments *You need 4 oranges total in this recipe
  • 1 sweet white onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces salted and roasted sunflower seeds
  • salt and pepper

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • *1 blood orange, juiced
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 shallot cloves, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • salt and pepper

Cook beans in boiling water for a few minutes, until barely tender. Drain and run under cold water to cool.

Combine beans, blood orange segments, onions, sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Season a little with salt and pepper.

To make the vinaigrette, combine cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water and mix to make a “slurry.” Set aside. Bring stock to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the slurry and stir until the stock thickens, about 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Combine with the remaining ingredients and whisk well.

Pour vinaigrette over the bean mixture. Toss and serve. Can be made a day ahead of time. The leftover salad will last in the fridge for a few days.

I served this with a nice fresh salad with some home made dressing and blue cheese crumbles and a roasted chicken. Another foodie friend Heather at Gild the Voodoolily, had just roasted a chicken the night before and I thought I would use some of her tips. I always butter and garlic the skin but she suggested putting the butter and the garlic under the skin so I did this and coated the skin with olive oil, salt and poultry seasoning. I was soooo good and went perfectly with the salads!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for linking to me! And to liking the recipe!!

You know, I like the look of the yellow beans a lot... it's very stylish and chic.

Heather said...

Thanks for linking me too! I'm glad you liked the under-the-skin trick.

Supreming an orange is such work, but makes a big difference. That salad looks like a perfect taste of spring.

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to try the bean salad. It sounds good.
Good luck to the daughter on her skating competition.

Núria said...

Yeah Judy, it does look yummy!!! Such contrasting flavours!!! Up to day I never dared to add citrics in my salads!

Judy@nofearentertaining said...

Thanks Robin. It was so delicious. I will be sure to make this again!

Hey Heather-I think as long as the oranges aren't too juicy it isn't that hard. I eat my grapefruit like that.

Thanks ga.farmgirl-This recipe is nice and fresh tasting. You'll love it. Thanks for the well wishes!

Oh Nuria you have to try this one. It was so good.