Cold and Salty Orange Salad

Any sweet orange citrus shines in this simple salad, which is more of a treatment than an actual recipe. Navels, Cara Caras, tangerines, Page or Daisy mandarins, kishus and blood oranges fit the bill, particularly blood oranges since their deep red flesh and stripes add colorful contrast. The vinaigrette concentrates their flavor with more zest and a shot of mild rice vinegar to add an unobtrusive acidity. Use any kind of chile flakes you like for a spicier, or milder, heat. The assembled salad, covered in plastic wrap, will hold in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Makes 2 to 4 servings

11⁄2 pounds mixed orange citrus (see note above)

11⁄2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1⁄8 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 inner stalk of celery, thinly sliced

1 ounce feta, preferably in brine

4 green olives, preferably Castelvetrano, pitted and torn into 3 to 4 pieces

Take one of the smaller orange citruses and, using a Microplane, finely grate the zest from half of it into a small bowl. Stir in the vinegar, olive oil and chile flakes, then season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

Working on a cutting board, remove the pith and peel from all the citrus. For citrus bigger than a tennis ball, cut between the membranes to free its wedge-like sections. For smaller citrus, simply slice across the sections to make thin rounds, about 1⁄4 inch thick, removing any seeds as you go. Transfer all the sliced citrus and juices to a serving platter big enough to fit them in a single-ish layer and preferably one with a lip to contain their juice. Spoon the vinaigrette over the slices.

Arrange the celery slices evenly over the citrus. If your feta comes with brine, drizzle a couple teaspoons of the brine over the salad. Roughly crumble the feta and arrange it over the salad, followed by the olives. Cover the whole salad with a sheet of plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Uncover the salad and serve chilled. This is great as a side to salmon fillets, roast chicken thighs or sliced duck breast.

Makes 1 drink

10 disks Valrhona dark chocolate (66 percent cacao; sold as callets or féves)

4 disks Valrhona white chocolate

6 ounces steamed milk

1⁄2 ounces Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur

11⁄2 ounces Wild Turkey Bourbon

In a small pot, warm milk over low/medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, ensuring that milk does not boil. Add chocolate pieces and stir continually until all chocolate has melted and blended evenly. Pour mixture into a mug and add bourbon and liqueur.

Garnish: Whipped cream and cocoa powder.