Text size:

Orange salad with almonds -- perfect for summer

By Bonnie S. Benwick | The Washington Post

6:46 PM EDT, July 22, 2008

Orange pineapple salad by chef Jehangir Mehta at Graffiti. (Photo by Kyle Erin Schmitz)

When the mere reading of a cookbook recipe index is cause enough to linger, its author must be doing something right.

New York chef Jehangir Mehta delivers in "Mantra: The Rules of Indulgence," written with Christopher Kelly (Ecco, 2008, $34.95). Small treats, drinks and desserts are his focus, with simple preparations.

The 36-year-old pastry chef is known for innovative confections at Graffiti Food and Wine Bar in the East Village, for the children's cooking camps run through his custom-order Partistry event service, and for his star turns at Jean Georges, Mercer Kitchen and Aix.

With Mehta's first book, a broader audience can experience his talent for combining oranges, almonds and greens with granita, for gracing financiers with fenugreek and for making chutneys with radishes and pumpkin. His mantra is about striking a balance; his recipes can satisfy a craving for something sweet using fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, spices and herbs, many with healthful properties.

He uses ingredients based on the example his parents and grandparents set in Mumbai, where he grew up.

"I cannot say they were fantastic cooks, but I learned about the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, which was given to us with a teaspoon of sugar whenever we fell and got a bump," Mehta said. "Fresh coconut water came to our house every day. We were even taught to eat into the seed of some mangoes, where another good pulp can be found."

Orange-Marcona Almond Salad With Pineapple Granita
Serves 4
This light and elegant dessert is dairy- and gluten-free. Micro-herbs are sometimes available at farmers markets; herbs cut into chiffonade may be substituted. Almond oil has the slightly sweet taste of lightly toasted almonds and should not be confused with almond extract. The oil is available at Whole Foods Markets. Adapted from "Mantra: The Rules of Indulgence," by Jehangir Mehta. Ecco, 2008 . Ingredients:
½ cup sugar
2 cups pineapple juice
8 small navel oranges, peeled, segmented, seeded and chilled (may substitute blood oranges)
1 cup unsalted Marcona almonds
1 tablespoon almond oil (see headnote)
½ cup micro-herbs; may substitute herbs that are rolled and cut into very thin strips (chiffonade)
Directions:
1. For the granita: Set up an ice-water bath with ice cubes and cold water; have ready an empty container for chilling the pineapple mixture.
2. Combine the sugar and pineapple juice in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir until the sugar has dissolved. Transfer the mixture to the container and place in the ice-water bath; let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a flat metal container (such as a brownie pan), cover with plastic wrap (do not let the wrap touch the mixture) and freeze for a few hours, until solid. Use a fork to rake through so the texture becomes flaky. Re-cover and return to the freezer.
For the salad: Toss together the oranges, almonds, almond oil and micro-herbs. Divide on plates, top with some granita and serve immediately.

Nutrition per serving: 535 calories, 11g protein, 81g carbohydrates, 22g fat, 2g saturated fat.