Sliced Orange Salad with Sautéed Olives and Ricotta Salata

Ingredients

Cooking Directions

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from 1 orange in strips. Cut the strips lengthwise as thinly as possible until you have 1 tablespoon thin slices. Reserve the thin slices and discard the remaining zest. Using a large, sharp knife, place the peeled orange upright on a cutting board and cut off the pith, following the contour of the fruit. Peel the remaining 3 oranges, one at a time, by first cutting off the stem and blossom end, revealing the flesh, and then cutting away the peel and pith, following the contour of the fruit. Cut all 4 oranges crosswire into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice in half to form half-moons and remove any seeds.

In a 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the rosemary and cook for a few seconds, then add the olives. Cook for 10 seconds, then add the thinly sliced zest. Cook for a few seconds longer, then remove the skillet from the heat and allow the mixture to cool in the skillet.

Put the spinach in a large bowl. Pour the olive-orange mixture from the skillet over the spinach and add the vinaigrette. Toss gently to coat the spinach evenly. Add the reserved orange slices and toss a bit more to incorporate the oranges, being careful they do not break up. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or individual soup plates. Grate the ricotta salata over the top. Serve immediately.