Orange Macadamia Salad with Crispy 'Butterflies'

Hi friends! I'm still on vacation, with unreliable internet connection but I'll be home soon.

I wanted to pop in to say hello and let you know how much I miss catching up on your comments and visiting your blogs.

I can't wait to get home, to catch up with you all. (And to be back to my own kitchen!)

This post is a repeat from January of this year, it has been on my mind and I think it will be one of the first things I make when I'm home again.

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I love everything about this salad, it's a combination of a couple of other recipes. I wasn't quite satisfied with any of them, so I played around and bumped up the flavors with a few additions until I was happy with the results.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I prefer either simple straight forward salads, or composed salads with more elements which add flavor and textural interest, then arranged in a not-too-fussy way on the plate. You could add some grilled or poached sliced chicken if you like.

The little crispy "butterflies" are optional, I happened to have a few wonton wrappers leftover so used them here. Quickly shaped and fried, they add a whimsical garnish and a crispy crunch.

You can just peel and slice the orange(s), but I like to cut the sections into

supremes*

eliminating all pith & membrane from the sections.
I use bagged, organic baby field or spring mix for the greens in this salad. Baby spinach leave would work very well, too.
Be sure to toast the macadamia nuts to bring out the flavor. Toasted almonds (sliced or slivered), hazelnuts, or pecans would also be very good.

Besides the wonton wrapper "Butterflies", as a final garnish I slivered some candied ginger and sprinkled it over the orange segments.

Here are the ingredients for the vinaigrette (and basic proportions.) I rarely measure when I'm cooking, only when I'm baking, so taste as you go along. You may like it sweeter or more tart than I do. :)

If you would like a printable copy for the Orange Vinaigrette, directions and ingredients for assembling the salad, and making the wonton butterflies,you can find it HERE on my recipe blog.

It's one of my favorite salads, especially in the middle of winter!

A little sunshine on your plate. :)