Grilled Feta and Citrus Salad with Honey Dressing
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A Greek-style Salad made with citrus fruits, grilled feta and a saffron-infused honey and sultana dressing. It is easily adapted to what's to hand or in season.
Serves:4 people
Ingredients
Citrus Salad
- 2 med oranges/blood oranges
- handful kumquats (about 5-6)
- 1 small grapefruit
- ½ med cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced - preferably with a mandolin
- 2-3 spring onions (very finely sliced diagonally)
- 1 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley and fresh mint
- 150-200 g slice feta cheese
- 1 handful radicchio leaves
- 1 handful rocket leaves
- olive oil and juice of a small lemon
Honey Dressing
- 4 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar *(see notes)
- 4-5 tsp honey
- 1 scant tsp orange blossom water or freshly squeezed orange juice
- pinch saffron threads
- 60-70 g golden sultanas/raisins
- pinch salt
Instructions
Citrus Salad
- Warm the honey, vinegar, saffron and sultanas until they are swollen. Don't let the sauce boil - merely melt and thicken. Add the orange blossom water (or orange juice) and a pinch of salt—taste to check if it needs balancing with a little more salt or vinegar. Set aside while you prepare the salad.
- Quarter the kumquats and remove the pips. Peel the remaining citrus fruit - removing as much of the white pith and pips as possible and conserving the juice. Cut each segment into bite-sized pieces. Peel the fruit over the bowl you intend to use so you catch any juices!
- Toss all the salad ingredients into the bowl with a little olive oil and juice of a small lemon.
- Drizzle the feta slice with a little honey dressing (minus sultanas) and grill* (see notes) on a piece of kitchen foil until golden. Place it on top of your salad and add the remaining honey dressing. Serve immediately - breaking up the feta at the table and tossing it into the salad.
- Serve as brunch with pitta/crusty bread or a side salad with grilled chicken/pork.
Notes
*I've also used white balsamic vinegar, which makes a more delicate and sweeter dressing.
*The combination of hot grilled cheese - citrus fruit, and honey is delicious but not essential - a fresh slice of goat's milk feta is equally delicious!
The honey dressing is adapted from John Gregory-Smith's, Sultana Dressing from his lovely book Orange Blossom and Honey, where I have replaced caster sugar for honey in the recipe.
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