Spanish Salad

This Spanish Salad is made with green olives, orange segments, toasted almonds, and kumquats and dressed in an olive oil champagne vinaigrette. It is inspired by my time living in Spain using ingredients that grew around me on a daily basis.

💡 Recipe Inspiration

This salad is inspired by the city I called home for two years, using ingredients ubiquitous to Barcelona and Spain. It is bright, briny, and citrusy in flavor, using simple fresh ingredients that I saw day in and day out and often shopped for at the markets.

At restaurants big and small, olives were almost always served ahead of ordering, similar to how some restaurants in the US bring over a basket of bread before the meal. Olives were everywhere, at the neighborhood markets, in grocery stores, at restaurants, etc.

Neighborhood markets are very popular in Barcelona, and many neighborhoods have their own market with vendors selling fresh fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables. The most famous one is La Boqueria off of Las Ramblas, but there are many more centered in neighborhoods all around the city.

🛒 Ingredients

Below are the ingredients needed to make this Spanish Salad.

Salad

• Mixed Greens: The recipe calls for 5oz, which is 1 standard-sized package.
• Green Spanish or Greek Olives: Spanish olives are sometimes harder to find, but Greek olives are quite close. They should be darker in color (not the bright green olives) and sometimes they are mixed with black or brown olives. You can use pitted or not pitted, depending on your preference. Pitted is easier of course when eating a salad, but I never saw them served pitted in Spain, and that’s what I got used to.
• Orange Segments: The step-by-step photos below show how to segment an orange. Taking out the orange fruit from the tougher white pith leaves you with super tender juicy orange segments. The leftover orange pieces are squeezed over the dressing to add a citrusy touch.
• Kumquats: These are like mini oranges the size of a grape tomato, and they can be eaten whole! Though not native to Spain, these are easy to find in Barcelona, but much more challenging to find in the US. I had never seen them in a US grocery store until recently when I saw them at several different Whole Foods. This ingredient is not worth scouring all your local markets to find (they’re certainly not as fresh), but they're a fun touch.
• Sliced Almonds: These get lightly toasted to add a nice nutty crunch to the salad.

Dressing

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use Spanish olive oil if you have it. Spanish olive oil is not well marketed in the US but it is a high-quality product. Spain is the largest producer of olives in the world, and Spanish olive oil is often exported and bottled with Italian olive oils that are then sold in the US. I like the mild flavor of the Spanish olive oil found at Trader Joe’s and Costco.
• Champagne Vinegar: The Spanish equivalent of Champagne is Cava, and I’ve visited several Spanish wineries specializing in Cava outside of Barcelona. However, that’s a side note. I like using champagne vinegar from a brand called O Olive Oil and Vinegar, which can be found at Whole Foods.
• Honey: A little sweetness, used to balance the olive oil and vinegar.
• Shallot: Only a half of a shallot minced is needed.
• Dijon Mustard: This is used as an emulsifier, not to add flavor. It helps to prevent the oil and vinegar from separating.
• Pinch salt: To balance flavor.
• Orange Juice: Squeeze from the leftover segmented oranges, adding a bright citrusy note.

Step 1. Segment the Oranges: Cut off the top and bottom of the orange. Lay the orange flat on a cutting board. Working your way around the curve of the orange cut off the outer peel. Then use a knife to cut in between the segments and remove the fruit.

Step 2. Make the Dressing: In a small-medium bowl add the olive oil, champagne vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt. Squeeze the remnants of the segmented oranges over the salad dressing bowl so that the excess orange juice drips into the dressing. Whisk to combine.

Step 3. Toast the Almonds: Bring a saucepan to medium heat (setting of 4 out of 10 on an electric stove or the equivalent on a gas stove). Add a dash of olive oil and the almonds. Toast until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes.

Step 4. Assemble the Salad: This can be done in one large bowl or on individual plates. Add the mixed greens and top with the segmented oranges, green olives, sliced kumquats, and toasted almonds. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. You may not need all of the salad dressing. Start with a little and add more as needed.