Name: Salade d'Oranges aux Olives
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 5 large sweet oranges, preferably winter navel or Maroc Late; 80g Moroccan black olives, pitted if you like; 3 tbsp good extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp orange juice, caught from slicing; 1/2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste; 1/4 tsp sweet paprika; 1 small pinch sea salt; 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped, optional; 1 tsp orange blossom water, optional and used lightly

Question 1

What kind of oranges are best for Salade d'Oranges aux Olives?

Accepted Answer

Use 5 large sweet winter oranges, preferably navel oranges or Maroc Late oranges, for Salade d'Oranges aux Olives. Choose fruit that feels heavy, fragrant, and sweet. This Moroccan orange olive salad depends on clean citrus flavor because there is no thick dressing to hide dull fruit.

Question 2

Why do I need to remove the white pith from the oranges?

Accepted Answer

Remove the white pith because orange pith tastes bitter and Salade d'Oranges aux Olives has no sauce to cover that bitterness. Cut the top and bottom from each orange, then slice away the peel and pith with a sharp paring knife while catching the juice in a bowl.

Question 3

Can I make Moroccan orange olive salad ahead of time?

Accepted Answer

Peel and slice the oranges up to 2 hours ahead, then cover and chill them. Add the Moroccan black olives, extra-virgin olive oil, cumin, paprika, sea salt, and caught orange juice 10 to 20 minutes before serving so the salad stays bright and glossy.

Question 4

What olives should I use for Moroccan orange salad?

Accepted Answer

Use 80 grams of Moroccan black olives for Moroccan orange salad, pitted if you prefer. Wrinkled black oil-cured olives or good Moroccan black olives in brine both work well. Rinse very salty olives, then taste before adding the small pinch of sea salt.

Question 5

How long should Salade d'Oranges aux Olives rest before serving?

Accepted Answer

Let Salade d'Oranges aux Olives rest for 10 minutes before serving. During that short rest, the sea salt pulls a little juice from the orange slices and the extra-virgin olive oil turns glossy around the edges, creating orange-salty oil on the platter.

Question 6

How much orange blossom water should I add to orange olive salad?

Accepted Answer

Use 1 teaspoon of orange blossom water at most, and add it lightly only if your table likes the floral flavor. A few drops can belong in Salade d'Oranges aux Olives, but too much orange blossom water overwhelms the oranges, olives, cumin, and paprika.

Culinary Explorer

Salade d'Oranges aux Olives

Ingredients

sweet oranges

Moroccan black olives

extra-virgin olive oil

Where cooking meets culture.

Ingredient	Quantity
sweet orangespeeled and sliced into rounds	5 large
Moroccan black olivespitted if you like	80g
extra-virgin olive oil	3 tbsp