It's Recipe Friday Y'All, Salsa Edition!

I have already established my love for all things avocado so no big surprises that they are an ingredient in this dish.  The main attraction however is this:

Named for it's crimson flesh, the blood orange is one of my favorite citrus fruits (with meyer lemons at the top of the list!). It stains everything in its path and has an almost raspberry like flavor to it.  The dark flesh is produced when the trees are grown in a climate with cool nights.  They are currently in season (December to March for the Texas varieties) and reasonably priced at my local market (bonus points this little puppy has more antioxidants than anyone else in the family...major).  They are so stinking beautiful inside I had to come up with a way to utilize them and because I like a challenge I went for the savory side things.

Savory Blood Orange and Avocado Salsa

What you'll need*: 

*These measurements are approximate, it's a salsa play around with it!

The goods

1 blood orange
1 medium avocado
1/4 C. chopped red onion
2 tsp. minced jalapeno
1 1/2 Tbl. minced cilantro
1 lime, juiced




What to do:

Supreme your orange.  What's that you need a tutorial?  Granted!

Supreme is just a fancy way of saying "wedge that puppy up" but more accurately your end result will be segments of citrus with no rind or pith or membrane.

Cut a small slice off one end of the orange.  You are creating a flat surface for the orange to rest upon while you work

Now ever so carefully round your knife down around the skin to remove the rind and pith (that white fuzzy stuff).  Do this in small segments taking care not to lob off too much flesh in the process. 

Here comes the fun part.  Run your blade between the end of the white membrane separating the segment and the flesh itself.  Repeat on the other side of the segment and it will release itself from the rest of the pack.  

This is what you are aiming for.  Don't worry it takes some practice.  Be careful as you are cutting because you'll be holding the actual fruit in your hand.  This should be a zen experience, focus, don't multi-task when you have the potential to drive said blade straight into the palm of your hand.  Also I recommend working over a bowl while you do this.  No sense in letting all that delicious juice go to waste.  You'll basically be left with the shell of what was once a spherical ball of fruit.  Give it a good squeeze over your work bowl so you don't waste that juicy goodness.

Ok now that that is out of the way...you'll want to dice your avocado.

What?  You want my short cut?  Granted!

First things first...give a horizontal cut around the avocado creating two spheres.  Carefully whack your blade into the pit to remove it while leaving the fruit intack.  Then...

Run your knife in vertical cuts along the width of the avocado.  Again careful with that blade.  

Turn the avocado vertically and create another series of horizontal cuts.  Bravo you just cubed that sucker up.  Now grab a spoon and gently release those precious cubes from the skin.  No biggie if they aren't perfectly even!

Add avocado to the bowl of orange segments and juice.  Add onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice.  Stir to gently blend and add salt and pepper to taste.  

This is the finished product and can be used in oh so many satisfying ways:

(Blood) Orange ya glad you know how to make this?!?

I chose to serve mine over pan seared chicken thighs (something about the acid with the fatty crispy skin gets me).  But this would be equally as delicious over fish or you could double the batch throw in some corn, black beans, and a bit of cumin and serve it as a cold summer salad.  

Savory blood orange and avocado salsa over pan seared chicken thighs served with cumin and cilantro scented corn and black beans with green chilies, creme fraiche, and Monterey jack cheese.
Ole!