Salad with cold oranges

I still remember picking out this recipe at the Berkeley Co-op. In the produce section, you could pick up recipes printed on cheap green paper that highlighted new ways to use fruits and vegetables. This recipe was dated September, 1968; I probably picked it up in 1970 or '71.

The idea of a salad with onions and green pepper and oranges seemed unbearably exotic in those days. Now it's way less strange, but still an unusual combination.

I made this for an office potluck recently, to good reviews. It was the first time I remember having putting in the cucumber. It didn't add that much, and you could leave it out.

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Ensalada de naranjas

4 oranges, chilled
1 cucumber
1 small sweet onion (or red onion)
1 green pepper
Lettuce
French dressing (see text)

Peel and slice oranges, discarding seeds. Peel and slice cucumber; chop onion and green pepper. Arrange lettuce on a flat dish and place onions and cucumber on top. Sprinkle with onion and green pepper. Serve cold, with a simple dressing of olive oil, wine vinegar, salt and pepper (use a 2-1 ratio of oil to vinegar, maybe 1/4 cup oil and 2 T. red wine vinegar -- I always just eyeball it).

Serves 6.