Ingredients

  • 4 sweet oranges, such as Caracara
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 heads butter lettuce, core removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
  • 1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives
  • 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 green onions (white and green parts), chopped
  • 1 cup Herbed Croutons (page 243) or store-bought croutons
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh basil
  • 2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh mint
  • Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
  • 2 ounces hard cheese (page 23), thinly shaved, for garnish (1/2 cup)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • (makes about 2/3 cup)

Method

  • Peel the oranges and separate them into segments.
  • Mix the orange segments with the sugar in a large bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
  • Combine the orange segments, lettuce, olives, tomatoes, green onions, croutons, basil, mint, and vinaigrette.
  • Divide the lettuce mixture evenly among chilled salad plates.
  • Top each with cheese and freshly ground pepper to taste.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and olive oil.
  • Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, as needed.