Orange and Black Olive Salad (Insalata di Arance e Olive Nere) is a classic Italian winter salad that is colorful, sweet, salty, tangy, and juicy, and is made of few simple ingredients: seasonal organic oranges, black olives, salt, and pepper. An exquisite Mediterranean harmony that is a joy for the taste buds!
Song of the day: Agent Orange - Depeche Mode
Winter blues: how do you escape from it? If there's nothing more effective I can do, I try to get some help from the foods I eat. Uplifting flavors and fragrances, joyful colors, and interesting textures.
These days I am experiencing the "winter blues" even in my Roman stay. I am halfway through before I get back to Canada and I am missing Loreto immensely. We may not have the blizzard conditions that Loreto is experiencing, but cloudy skies and gloomy lighting present some of the same challenges. Lots of colds and flus have plagued every part of the world and even both Loreto and I have been fighting off these very uninvited bugs of the season for months now. Let's add in that my administrative job is not fulfilling me like it used to and the outcome is a recipe for disaster, lol.
So, I turned to my father and asked him to make his famous Orange and Black Olive Salad (Insalata di Arance e Olive Nere), a colorful, juicy, sweet, salty and tangy, winter salad that has accompanied my youth.
I wasn't always a fan of this salad; my taste buds did not 'approve' that sweet and salty combination until recently, but I definitely loved the supply of Vitamin C of the juicy, sweet oranges that have always been plentiful in my parents' fruit basket. Citrus fruits are precious allies during the cold months, and in Italy, there is always a way to include them in the everyday diet.
My father has been making this simple Orange and Black Olive Salad (Insalata di Arance e Olive Nere) since I can remember, and my grandma did the same. I don't think you need a recipe for it, it is more like an idea, a suggestion, if you haven't heard about this typical Italian winter salad (or maybe you've just forgotten about it).
I let my father prepare it and, as I'm used to seeing it, he presented it to the table in his rustic, unpretentious way, with the oranges peeled then cut into cubes, the black olives scattered in randomly, a light dressing made of the juices of the oranges, a good cold pressed e.v.o. oil, salt, and a touch of pepper.
If I have to give you some tips, I'd let my father speak and he would tell you to find beautiful sweet organic oranges, to have a light hand when pouring the oil and an even lighter one when grinding fresh black pepper. As for the olives, he would vehemently say "only black olives, here!", sweet black olives, not too acidic, or pungent.
My family and I we bought the main ingredients at our Sunday outdoor Farmers Market. Local organic oranges and oven baked sweet black olives. If you think Loreto and I love Farmers Market, well, you should see the excitement of my mom and dad, lol!
This Orange and Black Olive Salad (Insalata di Arance e Olive Nere) is a happy memory for me, and its unusual, fresh and invigorating flavor has the ability to put a smile on my face and lift my mood, as well as my immune system.
The orange salad has its origins back to the Arabs. It is a low-calorie, "poor man" dish that sees its cradle in Sicily, because of the multitude of orange trees that grow there. It is a dish that is usually consumed in winter, or in any case until oranges are found on the markets, so until June. Some variations include shaved fennel (see here, made by my favorite Italian blogger), or thin strips of red onion.
The juices of this Orange and Black Olive Salad (Insalata di Arance e Olive Nere), the freshness of the flavors, the sweet and salty pairing, will entertain your taste buds with delight, creating a new food experience and help transport you from the "Winter Blaws" ro a sunny happy place inside of you!
Enjoy!
Song of the day: Agent Orange - Depeche Mode
PrintOrange and Black Olive Salad (Insalata di Arance e Olive Nere)
Orange and Black Olive Salad (Insalata di Arance e Olive Nere) is a classic Italian winter salad that is colorful, sweet, salty, tangy, and juicy, and is made of few simple ingredients: seasonal organic oranges, black olives, salt, and pepper. A joy for the taste buds!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salads
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 4 organic oranges
- 100 g black olives
- 3 Tbsp e.v.o. oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, peel the oranges removing the white inside peel as much as possible but without removing it all. Cut into cubes (or slices if you prefer), keeping the juices.
- Put the cubed oranges and their juices in a salad bowl.
- Add the black olives, with or without the pit, the extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
- Give a gentle stir.
- The salad is ready. Buon Appetito!
Notes
The suggested black olives would be Italian olives such as Baresane, Taggiasche, Gaeta, or the big sweet black olives, or the Greek Kalamata. They can be in a light "salamoia" (brine) or oven baked. You can keep them whole with the pit like we did, or you can remove the pit, and also slice them into rounds.
A welcomed addition to many (not for me though!) would be slivered fresh fennel.
Post e Ricetta in Italiano
Winter blues, la 'depressione' invernale: come fuggirne? Se non c'è niente di più efficace che posso fare, cerco di ottenere un aiuto dai cibi che mangio. Sapori e profumi che tirano su l'umore, colori gioiosi e consitenze interessanti.
Sapevo che mi sarebbe venuta la 'depressione' invernale anche durante la mia permanenza romana. Metà del tempo che devo passare qui prima di tornare in Canada è passato e Loreto mi manca immensamente. Le temperature si sono abbassate notevolmente, per Febbraio, e sebbene non ci sia neve o cose del genere, come in Canada, io sto accusando i postumi della stagione fredda. Mi sono già ammalata alcune volte, se a questo aggiungete giorni piovosi e umidi, giorni grigi e nuvolosi, il lavoro in ufficio, lento, e che non mi sta dando alcuna soddisfazione, e abbiamo la ricetta per un disastro.
Così, mi sono rivolta a mio padre e gli ho chiesto di preparare la sua famosa insalata di Arance e Olive nere, un'insalata invernale succosa, colorata, dolce e salata, che ha accompagnato la mia giovinezza. Non sono sempre stata un'appassionata di quest'insalata, le mie papille gustative non "approvavano" quella combinazione dolce e salata fino a poco tempo fa, tuttavia apprezzavo sicuramente la razione di vitamina C delle succose e dolci arance che si possono trovare sempre nel cesto della frutta a casa dei miei genitori. Gli agrumi sono preziosi alleati durante questi mesi freddi e in Italia c'è sempre un modo per includerli nella dieta quotidiana.
Mio padre fa questa semplice insalata di Arance e Olive nere da quando ho memoria, e mia nonna faceva lo stesso. Non penso ci sia bisogno di una ricetta per questo piatto, è più un'idea, un suggerimento, se non avete mai sentito parlare di questa tipica insalata invernale, o ve ne siete dimenticati.
Io l'ho lasciata preparare a mio padre e lui l'ha presentata in tavola come sempre, in questo modo rustico e senza pretese, con le arance sbucciate e poi tagliate a cubetti, le olive nere sparse a caso, un condimento leggero fatto con il succo delle arance, un buon olio e.v.o., sale, e un tocco di pepe. Se dovessi darvi dei consigli, lascerei parlare mio padre e lui vi direbbe di trovare delle bellissime arance biologiche dolci, di avere una mano leggera quando versate l'olio e una ancora più leggera quando macinate pepe nero fresco. Per quanto riguarda le olive, so che direbbe con veemenza "solo olive nere!". Olive nere dolci, non troppo acide o pungenti, magari cotte al forno. Come quelle che noi abbiamo comprato Domenica scorsa al Mercato Contadino di Capannelle a Roma, insime a delle ottime arance. Se pensate che io e Loreto siamo degli 'entusiasti' dei mercati, dovreste vedere i miei genitori 🙂 .
Questa insalata di Arance e Olive nere è un ricordo felice per me, e il suo sapore insolito, fresco e vivificante ha la capacità di stamparmi un sorriso sul viso e sollevare il mio umore, così come il sistema immunitario. L'insalata di arance ha origini arabe. È un piatto povero di calorie e della cucina povera, che vede la sua culla in Sicilia, grazie alla moltitudine di aranci che crescono lì. È un piatto che viene consumato di solito in inverno, o in ogni caso fino a quando si trovano arance nei mercati, quindi fino a giugno. Alcune varianti possono includere finocchi (guardate qui, fatta della mia blogger Italiana preferita) e cipolla rossa.
PrintInsalata di Arance e Olive Nere
L'insalata di Arance e Olive nere è tipica invernale ed in questa versione è come mio padre la prepara sempre. Dolce, salata, succosa e gustosa, quest'insalata è veloce da fare e porta in tavola la freaschezza e il buonumore.
- Prep Time: 10 minuti
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4 persone 1x
- Category: Insalate
- Cuisine: Italiana
Ingredients
- 4 arance biologiche (tarocco, sanguinelle, navel)
- 100 g olive nere, anche al forno
- 3 cucchiai olio e.v.o.
- sale e pepe q.b.
Instructions
- In primo luogo, sbucciare le arance rimuovendo la parte bianca interna il più possibile. Tagliare a cubetti (o a fette, se si preferisce) in un piatto così da non perdere il succo.
- Mettere le arance tagliate e il loro succo in un'insalatiera.
- Aggiungere le olive nere, intere o tagliate, l'olio extravergine di oliva, e aggiustare di sale e pepe.
- Mescolare delicatamente e servire.
- Buon appetito!
Notes
Le migliori olive nere da usare sono in leggera salamoia o cotte al forno: Taggiasche, Baresane, Gaeta, le olive grandi nere dolci, le greche Kalamata.
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
Milena Perrine says
What a gorgeous salad! The contrast in colors and the flavors of the fresh oranges and olives (not hoping to find such olives here, lol) are beyond tempting. I'd definitely add thinly sliced red onion and see what being 'a poor man' according to the Arabs and Sicilians is like:) Not too shabby by my standards, actually.
Love your comments, Milena, thank you so much! It's like waiting to have a little chat with a friend 🙂 . If you like fennel, they say even some shaved fennel is nice (I cannot stand it 🙂 ). But I'm used to have it exactly like that. Actually, like a wrote, I did not make it, my father made it in the same old way 🙂 . So refreshing!
karalynholland says
Wow! This salad looks so fresh and inviting! I've never thought about combining oranges with olives and I'm taking your advice above to add some fennel 😉 A big thanks to you and your Father for this great recipe 🙂
karrie / Tasty Ever After says
Okay, don't know why my name showed up above as my full name but it's karrie, in case you don't know who karalyn is! lol!
I don't know why it showed up like that but you're right, I wouldn't have known it was you!! Hello Karrie!! 🙂 Thank you so much for your comment, hope you try it and let me know. Fresh and so good (without fennel for me 😉 )
Christina says
Holy moly, what a crazy cool combo! I would have never thought to put oranges and black olives together, awesome idea 🙂
Ah ah, that's what I thought when my father started to make it for us 🙂 ! I couldn't understand it, but then I got used to its frequent appearance during the winter time and grew to love it! Cool, it is! 🙂 . Thank you so much!!
Elaine @ Flavour and Savour says
I love simple rustic dishes like this beautiful salad! Simple is often best. A sweet-salty combination that is bound to make even the dreariest winter day a little brighter! Hope you and Loreto are both on the mend and feeling better soon!
Yes, Elaine, that's exactly what it does on a winter day! 🙂 . I love simple and unsophisticated flavors, and looks 🙂 .Thank you!!
Nicole says
My brain never would have thought to pair oranges with black olives. Loving all these tips from Italy, especially when they involve beating the winter blues. Hopefully you and Loreto are getting lots of video chats in! April's coming soon!
I know, Nicole, only Italians can think of that, ah ah! 😉 . We're better, and at least here I'm seeing the first signs of springs 🙂 .Always grateful for your comments!
lyankova says
Orange and Black Olives?! you def got my attention with this one, looks so interesting and good!
🙂 . Happy to have your attention. Yes, this salad is both interesting and good! Thank you!!
Margaret@Kitchen Frau says
This looks like such a light and fresh salad - the citrus is like a burst of sunshine. Just what we need to get us through this long winter, whether really cold and sunny like here or cool and grey like in Rome. I've got a bag of Cara Cara oranges and am going to make this tonight! Thank you, Nicoletta!
Thank you so much Margaret. Hope you made it and enjoyed it! Cara Cara are great for this salad.
diversivore says
That photo of the olive branches and bowls of citrus fruit transported me across the world instantly. Like this recipe, it's just so wonderful and evocative! I too tend to turn to citrus to get me through those winter blues. It's one of nature's special little coincidences I suppose - such a beautiful, bright, sunny treat in the coldest and most wintry of months. I've never seen citrus paired with black olives before. I can imagine how the flavours play against each other marvelously! Love the idea of that shaved fennel option too. I'm a sucker for good fennel. Cheers!
We love Farmers Market and here we can go to the outdoor ones all year round. Yes, the flavors play against each other beautifully. I have to tell my dad everybody loved his simple salad! Thank you, Sean!!
Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says
What a yummy sounding salad and gorgeous photos! I bet those contrasting flavours of salty and sweet are just fabulous together (one of my fave combos). So simple too! Can't wait to give this one a try 🙂
Yes, Dawn! That sweet and salty combo is a joy for the taste buds 😉 . Thank you so much!
Justine @ JustineCelina.com says
There's a wonderful Italian restaurant in Calgary that serves a similar salad (although their's includes beets!). At first, I was put off my the combination of ingredients but I'm so glad I ordered it -- because it's become one of my favourite salads and I can't get it out of my head! Your version is so simple and lovely -- I'll definitely be trying it. Just pinned for future reference. Beautiful as always!
So happy you are loving a similar salad you found in a restaurant in Calgary! It might be so interesting with the addition of beets. Here, they usually add fennel, or onion, but I'm thinking it might be delicious with beets. Thank you so much for your comment!
Jim Delaney says
Ciao Nicoletta, This looks wonderful and will try it soon, such an interesting combination!. We've been using blood oranges with arugula and a few other goodies and it's great too. Hope you're doing wonderfully in Rome, miss you and hope to see you soon!
Ciao Jim! I'm doing good but I miss you all too!! This is my dad's orange salad, hope you like it. Blood oranges and arugula and other goodies...that sounds pretty awesome! See you soon!
Patricia says
I had this in a restaurant in Washington, DC some years ago. It wasn't an Italian restaurant and the oranges were sliced with the peel removed. No vinegar - just olive oil .
Nice! Exactly like ours. Absolutely no vinegar 😉 .