A simple yet succulent salad with contrasting flavours. Not all salads need to be complex to be delicious. This modest combination of baby spinach, oranges, and brazil nuts carries an abundance of flavour and texture.

I’ve been on a bit of brazil nut kick lately. Perhaps I’ve rediscovered their taste, especially in the roasted form. A little bit of heat seems to bring out a stronger, yet smoother, flavour. As I add nuts to virtually all of my salads, I felt like I needed a combination involving brazil nuts — something that would accent, rather than drown out their flavour. Baby spinach and oranges work wonderfully.

I chose white balsamic vinegar over the regular balsamic as I wanted a light look in the photographs. That turns out to be a good choice for the flavour as well. The slightly lighter profile fits better with the oranges. Feel free to substitute another vinegar. If you try a dark one, please take a picture and let me see what it looks like.

This salad was my contribution to a small dinner, which was actually a deferred lunch salad gathering. I was warned in advance of one individual’s dislike for oranges in salad. I didn’t, and nor will I ever, let some random biases get in the way of my creations. I’m quite happy I didn’t, as I’m pleased with the result. Of course, were I not delighted, you’d never see the recipe — seems pointless to publish the ones I’m unhappy with.

Enjoy the nutty orange spinach.

Orange Brazil-Nut Spinach Salad

Ingredients

  1. 150 g 1¹⁄₄ cup
    Brazil Nut
  2. 125 g
    Baby Spinach
  3. 2 medium 490 g
    Orange
  4. 60 g 4 tablespoon
    extra virginOlive Oil
  5. 35 g 2 tablespoon
    White Balsamic Vinegar
  6. ³⁄₄ teaspoon
    Salt

Equipment

  • frying pan
  • mixing bowl

Directions

Roast Nuts

  1. Heat a frying pan to 70% on stove top.
  2. Chop the brazil nuts.
  3. Place the brazil nuts in the pan.
  4. Roast the brazil nuts for 5 minutes, then remove them from the heat.

Mix Salad

  1. Put baby spinach in a mixing bowl.
  2. Peel and slice, or dice, the oranges. Add the oranges to the mixing bowl.
  3. Pour the olive oil and vineger in the mixing bowl.
  4. Add the salt to the mixing bowl.
  5. Mix the ingredients together.
  6. Add the brazil nuts while serving, or mix after they've cooled.