Buddhas Hand Dressing & Arugula-Prosciutto Salad
Our buddhas hand dressing is simple and flavorful. The zest of this unique citrus is super fragrant.
Buddhas Hand Dressing
As friends and guests get guided around our garden for the first time, this is the answer to the inevitable question, “What do you with all of your citrus?!”
bwahhh buddhas hand from our tree
“Naked” usually causes a double take, but once explained that it refers to eating the citrus straight up or “naked” then the giggles in-sue and a people start to relax a bit.
“Cocktails” often gets the follow-up question of “When are you serving?” Even if it’s only 7:00 a.m… Alex. 😉 But you can’t blame them when it is a blood orange or Meyer lemon margarita inspiring early morning imbibing. Especially when it is a gorgeous mid 70’s So Cal morning and the grills are already fired up.
“Desserts” brings to mind cakes, creams, and creme brulees. But of the four answers it is the one which draws the least curiosity. Although when you’ve had a fresh Mandarin creme brulee you won’t be forgetting it any time soon.
The last answer of “Salads” most often gets the “Huh?!” look. “You mean like a fruit salad or blood orange segments in a salad?” said with crinkled brow.
Sometimes, but the main use will be in the dressings. You see, Diane is the Queen of Vinaigrettes. I think something clicked a 6-pack of years or so back when we were having dinner with a friend and her Italian husband. He made this simple salad dressings using fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. It was amazing.
The simplest of ingredients, but so pure and perfect for a summer salad of greens, cucumbers, radishes, and cheese. She was inspired and since has mastered the art of making her own salad dressings, often taking the zest or juice of our garden’s citrus to spoil us rotten with a divinely dressed salad. Thus, the inspiration for they buddhas hand dressing.
Simple Vinaigrette Dressing with Buddha’s Hand
The latest has to be one of my favorites. A vinaigrette make with the funk-a-delic Buddha’s Hand. One of the world’s oldest citrus and one that hardly anyone knows what the hell to do with. Most have zero juice and pulp, consisting of only rind and pith. But what a phenenomenal rind it is.
One of our recent guests took a broken Buddha’s Hand finger and started dabbing her neck as if it were perfume. The pith is also special in that it lacks the normal bitterness of most citrus piths. Making the Buddha’s Hand perfect for candying.
The Queen of Vinaigrettes will zest the Buddha’s Hand then add that to her heavenly concoction of vinegar, oil, and other goodies then toss those over our spring harvests of Mizuna, arugula, radishes, and random lettuces. Sometimes even throwing in a little prosciutto or seared pork belly. Uber divine spring salads.
Our Buddha’s hand harvest is still fairly low, with most of the hands going out to friends, so I’ll be savoring every floral drop of this vinaigrette while it lasts. All the while hailing my cute little Salad Queen and her buddhas hand dressing.
– Todd
Buddhas Hand Vinaigrette for Salads
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil or grape seed oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2-3 Tablespoons Buddahs hand zest
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme , minced
- 1 clove minced garlic
Instructions
- Combine all vinaigrette ingredients (oil, salt, lemon juice, buddha's hand zest, balsamic vinegar, herbs, and garlic) together in bowl or jar. Mix or shake well. For best results, allow vinaigrette to marinade overnight.
- Dress vinaigrette over your favorite salad greens.
We made the Buddhacitrus salad dressing, with the Arugula & Prosciutto salad. It was excellent. I added toasted hazel nuts to it the second time, and, the toasted hazelnuts made the salad even better. We thought the balsamic vinegar sort of over-powdered the flavor and aroma of the Buddha citrus. Next time I make it, I think I will try the dressing with half the amount of balsamic vinegar.
I am a bit late reacting to this post, but I just got my hands on citron (not Buddha’s hand, the regular, “oval” citron), and was wondering whether I could replace the lemon juice in this dressing with the juice of the citron, or do you think it might be too tangy?
Thanks for a beautiful recipe in any case!
Darya
I have the most beautiful ex-large buddha hands. I love them even raw.
And they are great candied.
That is absolutely a gorgeous citrus fruit! Your pictures are so beautiful, they are art, thanks for sharing them.
Is it crazy that I think I’ve seen these at Whole Foods in Michigan before? I am going to keep my eye open, if only to give it to the cashier and have them ask me what I’m going to do with it! I agree, nothing like a simple and delicious homemade vinaigrette. Thanks for sharing!
I have never had buddhas hand. Did not realize it is the oldest variety of citrus. Always learn from you guys on so many levels 🙂
wow! thanks for the tip on what to do with the buddha’s claws (or so we call it). I grew up seeing it sitting at the religious altars. I never got to taste it, but would imagine it’s bitter somewhat and citrusy.
Ah! I have never seen/heard of a Buddha’s Hand before- it’s crazy looking! I don’t know if I’d ever be able to cook with it because I think it would feel like I was chopping off octopus legs or something. I’m sure it tastes delish, but it’s creepy! 🙂
Octopus is goooood! Chop! Chop!
Beautiful photos! I have never seen Buddhas hands before, a very interesting looking citrus.
-Brenda
Never heard or seen before..Buddhas hands! Wish I could get my hands on these citrus beauties. Glad to have found this beautiful space.
I’ve been seeing Buddha’s Hand everywhere the past few weeks, while I’d never even heard of it before. I’ll definitely have to actually get one next time now that I know what to do with it! I think I’ll have to try the dressing on a nice herb salad! (Something tells me it might not pair well with my other “go-to”: strawberries and spinach).
Homemade, fresh vinaigrettes are the best – especially with fresh citrus zest and juice. They are my favorites and I love playing around with different combinations as well. This is the kind of salad I could eat every day – I think I am going to have to search out a Buddha’s hand to make this one!!
wow .. they look sooo sooo weirdly cute! I never saw these before or even heard of them. I have to start my hunt .. really to try those sometime soon!
I have seen the nurseries in Melbourne selling the trees (without fruits). Wonder if they are hard to grow?
I never have a chance to taste Buddhas Hand Citron properly. Always saw them in pagoda and such though 🙂
They are very frost sensitive, but otherwise fairly easy in our experience. If the watering isn’t consistent, ours will drop off it’s “baby hands” but otherwise the tree isn’t very fussy at all. We’ll maybe get two nights out of the year of a mild frost without any ill affect to our tree.