Cooking in winter demands patience. The required patience is also why I love being in my kitchen this time of year: I get to really cook. Whereas in summer I can just slice a tomato and sprinkle it with salt, maybe throw a fresh ear of corn in some hot water and call it a day, winter kitchens demand more.
Each ingredient lends itself to a variety of dishes, all made memorable by combining them with flavourful accents. They remind us that cooking in winter is in many ways like cooking at any other time of year: You need bursts of salt and acid - such as miso paste and punchy anchovies, vinegar and briny olives - to wake things up.
Orange and Radish Salad With Olive Dressing
(Serves 4)
This bright, salty-sweet salad makes a nice side dish for brunch, and it pairs nicely with grilled fish.
Ingredients
3 navel or Cara Cara oranges
Kosher salt
Handful red radishes, cut into thin rounds (1 cup)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Large handful pitted green or black olives, chopped (generous 3/4 cup)
Method
Peel the oranges and cut into 1cm thick rounds.
Arrange in an even layer on a platter and sprinkle lightly with salt. Arrange the radishes atop the oranges.
Whisk together the vinegar and oil and a pinch or two of salt in a liquid measuring cup, until well incorporated. Spoon it over the salad, then scatter the olives (to taste) on top
The Washington Post