Orange & Radish Salad

A Moroccan-inspired salad that pulls peppery radish into the same bowl as sweet navel orange and finishes with floral orange blossom water. The contrast does the work, hot bite from the radish meets cool sweetness from the citrus.

Two ways to handle the radish, depending on what you have. Long white daikon-style radish gets grated for soft fluffy mounds. Red round radishes get sliced thin for crisp coins. Each gives a different texture, both work.

Cut the orange supreme-style if you want a tidy plate. Slabs over the cutting board, segments freed and any juice caught in the bowl. A hint of powdered sugar mellows the radish bite without turning the salad candy-sweet.

Chef Tips

• Salt the radish lightly and let it sit five minutes before mixing if you want to soften the bite, drain off any liquid that pools
• Orange flower water is potent, two tablespoons is the upper limit, more turns the salad perfumey
• Use navel, blood, or cara cara oranges, just avoid juicing oranges, the segments break down too fast
• Dress the salad just before serving, sit time wilts the radish

Variations

• Add a pinch of cinnamon and a handful of black olives for a more traditional Moroccan plate
• Toss in fresh mint or cilantro leaves for herbaceous lift
• Sprinkle with toasted sesame or pomegranate seeds for crunch and color