There’s a scene in the Hollywood remake City of Angels that’s indelibly etched in my memory.
The heroine is making a breakfast fruit salad for her lover, which sounds simple enough, but there’s nothing ordinary about this moment. She sinks her soul into the process and brings the viewer with her. We are meticulously drawn in to the color, texture and taste of her experience. The most memorable moment comes when she hand squeezes fresh orange segments all over the bowl, the explosive juices unbound and running glory over the fruit.
It’s been almost 17 years since I watched that movie, and that scene, that otherwise innocuous moment, has done more to ignite my culinary appetite than any other.
Fast forward two decades and here we are with a beautiful mandarin tree that is now rendering gorgeous, juice-filled fruit with skin that rolls off almost effortlessly.
We watched with hopefulness through the summer as the tiny dark pigmented fruit grew a little each day and mother nature took its course helping the globes graduate through deliberate shades of green, yellow and orange.
One thing we’ve discovered about harvesting mandarin is that sharp garden shears are necessary to properly release the fruit. If you try to hand pick the fruit by pulling it away from the branch, the way you would an apple or lemon for example, it will actually rip the skin off the orange at the tip, leaving it behind on the tree, something like so:
To avoid this, we simply snip mandarin-heavy branches off the tree and then unmold the fruit when we are ready to eat them.
Growth is eventually so prolific that regular harvesting becomes necessary to avoid spoilage. We share with neighbors, incorporate the fruit into recipes and juice like the best of the west coast crunchies.
There are few things quite as delicious as freshly squeezed mandarin juice (great insurance policy against winter colds too). My husband filled four large mason jars worth over the weekend (though not hand squeezed).
Surrounded by these fragrant, Vitamin C-rich beauties, I couldn’t help but create a cleansing winter salad for you.
I wanted something that allowed the mandarin to shine and enhance rather than detract from its taste and beauty. I opted for fennel bulb and angel hair coleslaw (another bow to the movie perhaps) and bejeweled the whole affair with another seasonal beauty, pomegranate.
It all comes together in a zingy citrus-ginger dressing that is rather irresistible.
By the way, the movie is memorable for another reason. You see, we also happened to have our brand new six-week-old baby boy in the theater with us that afternoon. He slept (yes, you might say like an angel) on a soft blanket nestled between us.
You just never know the potential of an ordinary moment to transform into the extraordinary.
- FOR THE SALAD
- 3 cups angel hair coleslaw (from finely shredded light green cabbage)
- 1 fennel bulb, ends snipped (you can reserve for soup) and bulb chopped into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup arils (pomegranate seed)
- 4 juicy seasonal mandarin, peeled and divided into segments
- handful of fresh delicate greens of choice
- FOR THE CITRUS-GINGER DRESSING
- 2 Tbsp fresh mandarin juice
- 2 Tbsp white rice vinegar (substitute cider vinegar)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sesame seed oil
- 1 heaping tsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 nub fresh ginger, grated (about 2 tsp or to taste)
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- pinch of sea salt and coarse black pepper to taste
- Place angel hair coleslaw (or finely shredded light green cabbage) into a large mixing bowl.
- Add chopped fennel pieces to the same bowl.
- In a small container with fitted lid, combine citrus-ginger dressing ingredients: mandarin juice, vinegar, oils, mustard, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Close the lid and shake the contents. Be sure to taste the dressing and make any taste adjustments desired.
- With your mandarin segments and pom seeds ready, whisk or shake the dressing a final time before drizzling most of it over the coleslaw/fennel, reserving some for topping.
- Mix the coleslaw/fennel and dressing together to integrate flavors.
- Divide salad mixture among four bowls or plates and top with pom seeds, mandarin segments and greens of choice.
- Add a final drizzle of dressing to the top of each salad as desired.
2) Pomegranate seeds are now also widely available for purchase but I find they do not last very long before spoiling and I have never been disappointed with the freshness, color or taste of seeds drawn directly from the fruit. Despite the minor mess potential from extracting the seeds, I find it well worth the small inconvenience.
3) Keep in mind that the citrus-ginger dressing is slightly less sour/acidic than a traditional vinaigrette and slightly sweeter. I find it a refreshing change and one that works well in this salad but if you prefer savory/sour, just go lighter on the fruit juice and allow the vinegar to take over.
4) For the greens, you can work with fresh chopped herbs or salad greens of choice - we found peppery arugula (rocket) to be a particularly welcome addition here.
Mandarin tree too??? I think that even a banana tree will not surprise me in your magical garden!
Your beautiful salad made me actually smile at the thought we are in the middle of winter (the season I sincerely hate). So sunny and mood-improving and, I have no doubts, utterly delicious! Actually I think I have all the ingredients in the fridge now! It’ll be my first guiltless meal since Christmas ;-) Thank you once more for inspiration (and for reminding me of pomegranates ;-) ).
I do remember that scene in City of Angels. Now you have me wanting to go back and watch the movie. :) You lucky dog you! Look at that Mandarin tree!! I’m quite jealous, once again. :) Well, you certainly put some of those beauties to good use. However it would have been quite hard for me to have resisted drinking that jar of juice. I LOVE freshly squeezed citrus! Your salad is beautiful as always and the combination of mandarin and fennel sounds wonderful. I do have many Cara Cara oranges in the cold garage so I think I see this salad forming in the very near future. I hope you and your family enjoyed your first Christmas in California. I’m sure the warmth was rather strange, but nice to to have to struggle through 2 feet of snow to walk the dog. :) Enjoy the rest of 2014 and looking forward to seeing more of you and your wonderful creations in 2015!
I’ve not seen that movie but you really make me want to! This is a salad that screams to me, so fresh and light. I love a citrus dressing and the piece de resistance is definitely the home grown Mandarin oranges. You are indeed very fortunate to have such an incredible fruit bearing tree right in your back yard.
That’s a gorgeous looking salad Kelly – truly. It seems that your new life is agreeing with you. I’m so crazy jealous of your mandarin tree. There’s something so incredibly beautiful about citrus fruits still on the branches. I remember my post last year when I got a hold of some gorgeous lemons, still with a lot of branch attached, which I waxed lyrical about to my wife for several hours! :D
There is such creativity in your blog.
The pictures, your recipes, but it is your stories that I can not miss.
I am not the only one to mention it as others have shared their excitement that your “voice” depicts.
There is a sense of reading a great novel that you can not put down, only it is your blog, and each week it is my special AHaaaa moment that there is so much to be thankful for! Thanks for sharing, hugs and love!
ah, my biggest fan … ♡ ♡ ♡ thank you so much for taking the time during ‘busy season’ to drop in and share some sunshine… you’re da best. Love, hugs and warmth radiating back to you beauty ☆༻ღ.
This is gorgeous Kelly! You are so lucky to have your own mandarin tree, and one that’s doing really well from the looks of it! Love the salad. Really stunning colours, and so fresh and vibrant this time of the year when everything on the fruit and veg scene can be a bit more robust and heavy. Beautiful photos aside, I really liked the opening paragraph. Such a seductive scene ;)
p.s. Merry Christmas Kelly xx
so nice to read your note Shu Han! It was seductive and it continues to linger… love when that happens :) Have an amazing trip to LA — enjoy!
Hi Kelly, I just wanted to drop in to say hello and tell you how much I love your blog. I’ve been following you for a couple years now and I don’t think there’s a recipe I’ve made that I haven’t liked. Beyond that though, you have a beautiful, engaging writing style and you fill your page with gorgeous images. It’s such a pleasure to follow you. Thank you!
Mia… thank you so much for stopping by ~ blogging can sometimes be a lonely endeavor and comments like these really light up my day. It means a great deal to me to hear reader feedback and I’m so pleased that you’re enjoying the blog. Feel free to drop by any time with comments or suggestions and thank you, sincerely, for your kind words and support ♡.
Such a gorgeous salad! Look at those mandarins….how special! That tree is just bursting! This is the perfect winter salad- the white colour, and the fresh mandarins (whose scent just screams “Christmas” to me). So beautiful, Kelly!!
welcome home KoKo! I hope you have a smooth adjustment and a blessed holiday.
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but I love your writing voice. It’s so descriptive and evocative. You are a gifted writer….and chef. This salad looks delicious. I can just imagine the freshness home grown mandarins bring. My kids would be in heaven in your backyard!
what a kind and generous compliment Kristy… you sure know how to make a girl’s day! xxx Thinking of you and that beautiful family of yours… let’s link up for a phone call in the new year ☆༻ღ hugs.
a mandarin tree in your back yard! Are you serious.
Gorgeous, delectable, refreshing tastes.
I love fennel. So distinct and rich.
just like you. xx
thank you love! Happiest of Holidays to you and yours… think of you often, xx.
You have a mandarin tree??!! Omg, as if I wasn’t already jealous enough of your Californication :-). I have to schlep in the snow for 10 minutes to buy a box of Moroccan clementines….
lemon, lime, grapefruit, plum, persimmon and mandarin — there may be others but those are the ones we’ve been able to positively ID so far :) oh, and an olive tree on the way — c’est un paradis certain ;-).
Darling Kelly, I just got back from the store with a huge bulb of fennel. I was inspired to make this recipe after seeing your pictures on FB! I love fennel salads, especially thinly sliced and marinated- I just wish remembered the cabbage! Sound like a lovely addition. I’m going to serve this with dijon & rosemary crusted salmon tonight. Thanks a million! Can’t wait. :) xx
well, i’m so happy to hear that this post could provide a little inspiration for such a delicious sounding meal. Chopped raw fennel was one of the most popular snacks me and my buddies ate in nutrition school — geek-fest! :) Happy Holidays Emilie… xx.
Oh Kelly, you are living the dream! I’m so envious of your mandarin tree (lemon tree, lime tree, plum tree, grapefruit tree… have I missed any?). Such a beautiful salad and the color on that mandarin juice is incredible. Can’t wait to try the dressing – zingy citrus-ginger, who could resist that?
I love when a simple moment captures our heart like that and becomes something so much bigger – of course, you describe it much more eloquently. Gorgeous words, recipe and photos. You are an artist in every sense.
don’t forget the persimmon :) heeheeh. Wishing you sunshine and quiet moments this holiday Elizabeth, xx.
Lucky you having that mandarin tree in your back yard!! This salad looks so delightful. I love the beautiful bright colour and flavour.
we are lucky indeed ~ wishing you a beautiful holiday Angie!
You just never know the potential of an ordinary moment to transform into the extraordinary.
count me in with another lover of this phrase! It captures life so well….
beautiful salad, beautiful tree, wonderful blog post!
Happy Holidays Sally ♡ ~ I hope you have lots of fun :) xx
Could this be any more beautiful? I want to literally plunge into that salad… I feel it melting away my holiday indulgences :). The white base of shredded cabbage and fennel creates the perfect base for your glistening mandarin and pom seeds – so enticing Kelly. How sweet that you had your newborn son with you during that memorable moment (you’re braver than me!). Your writing is spot on and your photography simply exquisite. Running glory indeed.
I’ll jump in with you Clare :). Happiest of holidays to you and yours, xx
“You just never know the potential of an ordinary moment to transform into the extraordinary.” I just LOVE that!!! It brightened my day for sure :)
Can I tell you how it has been a dream of mine to have a citrus tree growing in my backyard. Since I know that will never happen because I could never leave my “season-full” location on this planet, I just love reading and seeing this post. I’m living all my citrusy dreams through you dear :) Enjoy every ounce of sunshine you get to pick from that tree!!! The salad is quiet perfect too! Hugs XXX
i find the moments I remember most in life are the ones that start out without ambition. Happy Holidays to you Sandra!! xx