Raw blood orange cucumber composed salad w/ bulgarian feta, pine nut & mint pesto
Delight in a refreshing blend of raw blood orange, crisp cucumber, creamy Bulgarian feta, and pine nut & mint pesto in this composed salad.
Ingredients:
- 1 red beet
- 1 gold beet
- 1-2 avocados (depending on size)
- 1 bulb fennel
- 1 blood orange
- 1 English cucumber
- extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon (for squeezing)
- sea salt
- raw pine nuts for garnish
- mint sprigs for garnish
- A handful of mint (a little under a cup)
- A large handful of green basil (a very full cup)
- a little under ½ cup pine nuts (raw if possible)
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about one small lemon)
- ¼ cup Bulgarian feta (or any feta will work)
- your very best extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 5 turns course ground black pepper
Instructions:
- For the Salad:
- Cut all ingredients for the salad into very thin slices, almost see-through using a mandoline if you have one; otherwise, a sharp knife will do.
- Arrange a layer of sliced beets, fennel, blood oranges, cucumbers, and avocados, drizzle a tiny amount of your favorite olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt between each layer (except for the blood oranges, leave them as they are to blend their flavor). Create two to three layers, depending on the desired size.
- Finish off with a spoonful of pesto on top, drizzle some more pesto around the salad, and sprinkle with pine nuts.
- For the pesto (can be prepared ahead of time):
- Combine all pesto ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add a bit of olive oil to moisten, pulse a few times, and gradually pour more olive oil until you achieve a smooth and thick consistency. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Blend on high speed until the pesto is smooth. This pesto also goes great on pizza – it's delicious!
Summary:
- Calories: 1431 kcal
- Fat: 106 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Carbs: 123 g
- Potassium: 4880 mg
- Magnesium: 301 mg