Slata bel Clementinas, Algerian Clementine, Onion and Mache Salad, Salade de Mache, aux Oranges et Oignons Eminces

The clementine is a hybrid of a mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) and a bitter orange (Citrus auratium) developed in Oran, Algeria by a French Missionary named Father Clement Rodier. Bitter oranges and clementinas are simply eaten fresh for dessert, made into marmalades, the juice is reduced to syrups for variations on orangeade (the bitter orange orangeade is especially delicious) and of course made into endless variations of salads.

In Setif my mother would take me foraging for wild greens for fresh salads and soups.

Ingredients:

serves 4

4 generous handfuls of mache
mache

4 clementines peeled and sliced as shown. These were very sweet and tender, no need to supreme them.
4 clementines

1/2 a sweet onion, thinly sliced soaked in cold water with a tablespoon of vinegar for about 30 minutes.
1/2 oignon sucre

1 couple of tablespoons of nuts such as pine nuts or almonds.
Noix

Vinaigrette made with 1 part white vinegar and 3 parts extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
Vinaigrette preparee avec un quart de vinaigre blanc et 3 quarts d'huile d'olive, set et poivre.

Compose the salad as shown into individual portions or in a large salad bowl, add the vinaigrette to taste and toss. The sweetness of the oranges contrasts nicely with the tart vinegar, the bitter mache and sweet bite of the onions.

For lunch this can be eaten with fava bean salad, khobz or kesra and maybe some fresh goat cheese. Yes, we make goat cheese in Algeria.

Note: You can omit the onions and make a shallot vinaigrette. Yes we have shallots in Algeria and we use them in cooking and sauces. Rocket lettuce also makes a nice substitution for mache, and yes both are used in Algeria.

Algeria Algerian Cuisine Algerian Recipes Algerian Food Algerian dishes Cuisine Algerienne Recettes  Algerienne North African cuisine Maghreb Cuisine

Comments

[Russ]

The origin of Clementines is in (near) Oran, by Father Clement Rodier. That's the most commonly accepted origin. We can argue about it but that's the accepted origin. Hence the name too. Clement Clementine.

[jilal]

L'origine du clementine c'est CORSE..puis c'est le metidja