A SALAD FOR THE EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD {+ my little video on how to supreme an orange}

Alice Waters' original Edible Schoolyard is a five minute walk from our house. For years, we've taken early evening strolls through the garden, ogling the vast array of plants, herbs, fruit trees - all inspiring our own tiny backyard veggie garden.

When our boy Otis was getting ready to enter middle school two years ago, we couldn't resist King. We wanted Otis to have the freedom to safely roam our neighborhood, ride his bike to school, have local friends, and be a part of our community school. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the Edible Schoolyard was a huge draw for us in making this change.  King kids are fortunate enough to have classes in both the Kitchen and Garden programs associated with the Schoolyard.  Every time I visit, I'm stunned to see a huge group of middle schoolers not messing around or worrying about being cool, but totally focused and invigorated about cooking, gardening, eating, and learning. I've never seen adolescents so excited about vegetables! Who wouldn't want their child to have this invaluable education... an education which instills a passion for learning that permeates all aspects of the school, way beyond the Garden and Kitchen.

King kids know they're lucky to have the Schoolyard - I see them taking great pride in knowing where food comes from, and how to grow and cook nourishing food for themselves.  I dream of these King kids becoming parents a generation from now, and the joy and knowledge they will be able to share with their own families - the healthful meals they will cook with their own children.

When my amazing friend Phyllis asked if I'd be interested in teaching a class with her at the Edible Schoolyard to benefit our Berkeley Public Libraries, I immediately said "YES!" On Saturday, we had a blast cooking with 11 adorable kids and their moms, dads, and even a few grandmothers. Phyllis, a pastry master, taught everyone to make sumptuous savory tarts - my oh my were they incredibly good. Then, I worked with the gang on making a deconstructed salad and taught the kids how to whip up a simple vinaigrette in mason jars. Watching all their eager little faces as they shook up salad dressing and ate lettuce like it was candy made my heart swoon. While I always feel lucky to cook with my own kids and their friends, it was totally inspiring for me to cook with this group of kiddos I'd never met. I feel incredibly lucky to have had the tiniest taste of the magic the Edible Schoolyard gets to experience every day. I'm savoring it.

CITRUS, FENNEL, RADISH + PISTACHIO SALAD
 serves 4
{printable recipe}

For the dressing:

• 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
• generous pinch of good sea salt
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil

For the salad:

• 1/2 pound baby arugula, or butter lettuce
• 1 medium fennel bulb
• 6 radishes
• 8-10 kumquats
• 2 oranges: Cara Cara or blood oranges are my favorites here
• 1 cup roasted salted pistachio, shells removed; or 1/3 cup pepitas
• optional: arugula and/or fennel blossoms

The dressing: First, place all ingredients in a lidded jar. Shake vigorously until dressing has emulsified. Dip a leaf of lettuce into the dressing and add more salt, vinegar, or oil to your liking.

The salad: Wash, fully dry and place your salad greens into a large bowl. (Keep in mind that fully dried leaves will be key to your dressing adhering nicely to the greens later.) Trim and thinly slice fennel bulb and radishes. Slice kumquats thin, leaving skins on. Remove any seeds.

Supreme oranges. (See video at the end of this post.)

Place fennel, radishes, kumquats, orange slices, and pistachios (or pepitas) into individual bowls.

When all of your salad components are prepped, and you’re ready to eat, lightly dress your greens. (Go ahead and use your hands to toss the salad - it's the best way to get a beautiful even coating of dressing on all the leaves.) Place bowls of chopped goodies on the table and let everyone make the salad they desire. Pass around small pitcher of extra dressing in case anyone wants to add another drizzle to his/her plate.


I decided to make a little video for you guys ( my first ever!) showing the simple way to supreme an orange. If you struggle to slice clean segments of citrus and are looking for a little help, I hope this video makes your life easier....

RADICCHIO SALAD WITH CARA CARAS, ALMONDS + ROASTED SHALLOTS

When I am putting together new things to share with you, I find that a few posts in a row will follow a theme usually dictated by the season's current bounty.  January was all about eating greens every which way and this month seems to be about apricots, peaches, pale rose.... not the edibles, but the colors.

Lately I've noticed that color is coming into play in my kitchen in a big and unintended way: last post I was dreaming of the warm glow of summer in the Corfu, and now I find myself instinctively drawn to a palate of blushing Cara Cara oranges, deep purple radicchio, and magenta shallots. And next week, I've got a little kumquat treat to share with you... again those colors are calling my name these days!

I've read of the importance of eating foods of all colors, not just for aesthetic reasons but for health. This instinct seems natural, so I think I'll just ride this rose colored wave until my body takes me in the next direction.

Note: this salad can be modified in many ways and this recipe is far from rigid or exacting... If you cannot get your hands on Cara Caras, use whatever navel oranges are at their peak at your market. And instead of almonds, roasted hazelnuts would be great here. And if you don't want to go to the effort of roasting the shallot, the salad will still be good. 


INGREDIENTS makes 4 salads
(printable recipe)

• 4 shallots
• olive oil
• salt
• balsamic vinegar
• 2 large heads of radicchio
• 1-2 Cara Cara oranges
• 1/2 cup dry roasted almonds

Preheat oven to 350.

Trim and peel shallots. Place peeled whole shallots in a small baking dish. Drizzle on a tablespoon or so of olive oil, a tiny splash of balsamic, and a sprinkle of salt. Using your hands, toss shallots to coat. Cover baking dish with tinfoil and place in the hot oven. After about 35 minutes, you can remove the tin foil, and roast the shallots uncovered for another 10 minutes.

Let the shallots cool to room temp, chop them up, place them in a small bowl, and cover them with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Let the shallots rest in the vinegar while you prepare your salad.

Clean and trim radicchio, making sure to discard any wilted exterior leaves. Remove core and chop radicchio into long ribbons and divide the ribbons evenly between 4 salad plates.

Peel and slice your Cara Cara oranges using the technique in the photos below. (Cut a slice off of each end of the orange, then using a carving knife, remove the peels in strips.) Slice the peeled Cara Caras and remove any seeds you see. Layer the sliced Cara Caras onto the radicchio.

Coarsely chop almonds and sprinkle them over the salads.

Add about 1/2 cup olive oil to your macerating shallots and whisk until you have a nice thick dressing. Add salt to taste.

Lightly drizzle dressing over the salads.

Enjoy!