With my fridge over flowing with citrus right now, I wanted to put together something pretty (and tasty)! Here is a quick and easy salad that is as delicious as it is impressive.

Blood Orange Fennel Salad

• 2 blood oranges
• 2 cara cara oranges
• 1 fennel bulb
• pistachios, chopped
• beet chips
• optional additions:
  • frisee lettuce
  • pomegranate seeds
  • goat cheese

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. If using frisee or any other type of lettuce, sprinkle as the bottom layer on a large plate.
2. Use a mandolin to thinly slice the fennel, then evenly distribute on top of the lettuce.
3. Remove rind and pith from oranges and slice into rounds.
4. Sprinkle pistachios, beet chips and pomegranate seeds.
5. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with fennel fronds.

When I first read through this recipe I was surprised to see 12 eggs on the ingredient list – in addition to many other tasty items.  How can that much food serve only 6 people?  Well as my eyes scanned the recipe, I couldn’t help but laugh that even the author noted that “when you make good food, even in excess, it never goes to waste.” Well played Deb.

Baked Ranchero Eggs with Blistered Jack Cheese

recipe via Smitten Kitchen 

Ranchero Sauce

• 1/2 – 1 jalapeño, deseeded and chopped (check for heat level before adding to mixture)
• 1-28 oz can whole tomatoes, fire-roasted (I used diced tomatoes and it was still delicious)
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 1 arge garlic clove, crushed and peeled
• 1- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

Crisp Tortilla Strips 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 – 6 inch corn tortillas (pure corn, make sure not flour/corn hybrid tortillas)

Toppings

• 12 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups shredded jack cheese

Crema

• juice from 1 lime
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Make the ranchero sauce by adding tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeño and a little salt and pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth
3. Pour into a 12 inch oven proof skillet (it is recommended to not use a cast iron skillet because the acidity in tomatoes will eat off your seasoning).
4. Top with black beans and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until slightly reduced.
5. Make tortilla strips by brushing baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
6. Cut tortillas into 1/2 inch wide strips and arrange on oiled baking sheet. brush with remaining oil and sprinkle with salt.
7. Bake for 3-6 minutes until brown and crisp.
8. Remove strips and preheat broiler.
9. While oven is preheating, make crema by string together lime juice, sour cream and salt.
10. Once sauce has thickened slightly, remove the pan from heat and break the eggs on top (distributing them as evenly as possible).
11. Return to heat, cover and simmer eggs for 10-12 minutes (don’t over cook your eggs like I did, they will continue to cook in the oven – you want the whites nearly opaque).
12. Sprinkle egg-ranchero sauce mixture with cheese and broil until cheese is bubbly and a little brown (about 3 minutes – keep an eye on them!).
13. Serve with dollops of crema, tortilla strips and cilantro.