A Little Ray Of Sunshine!

Ok..so what if we have six more weeks of winter we can handle it right? Wrong!  Cabin fever is an understatement.  Last year at this time my husband and I were getting ready to leave for a week long vacation in the Mayan Riviera.  This year thanks to Mr. Economy (so as not to be biased we could say Mrs. Economy as well), we are staying home.  The closest we will get to an ocean this winter is by visiting the Shedd Aquarium!  But oh well...that is life, and I am sure most everyone reading this has a case of the winter blues as well.  I needed a little pick me up and that is when I saw Deb's recipe for Mixed Citrus Salad with Feta, Onion and Mint, over at Smitten Kitchen.  This recipe was just what the doctor ordered.  I changed up the recipe a bit to make it more mine, but either way this recipe was for sure a "Little Ray of Sunshine"!

CITRUS SALAD WITH FETA, ONION & BASIL 

Please do not be afraid to mix fruit with savory ingredients like basil, cheese , or onion.  I adapted this recipe from Smitten Kitchen and made it more simplified.  This dish is all about the quality of the fresh ingredients.  You will be amazed at how well the flavors of this recipe come together.  If you have never been to Sicily...try this salad and you will get a sense of being in Sicily among the citrus trees and warm sea breezes!

• 1 t o 2 tablespoons red onion, cut into tiny bits
• 4 pieces of citrus - I would recommend using at least 1 or 2 blood oranges - they are awesome!  You can also use pink grapefruit, cara cara or mineola oranges or tangerines.
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3 to 4 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) feta cheese, chopped or crumbled
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped or cut into tiny slivers
• 1-2 TB. high quality olive oil

1. Prepare your citrus fruits by beveling the stem end of one, cutting enough off that you reveal the pith-free flesh of the fruit. Repeat on the other end. Rest your fruit on one of its now-flat surface and begin cutting the peel and pith off in large, vertical pieces. You want the fruit’s exterior to be “white”-free
2. Turn the fruit back on its side and cut it into 1/4-inch thick wheels, removing any seeds and thick white stem as you do.
3. Spread the fruit slices out on a platter. Sprinkle onion over them, then the feta and then the fresh chopped basil.
4. Drizzle a high quality olive oil over the top and season with salt, fresh ground pepper and some crushed red pepper.