By Found the French Market on Saturday morning. The produce was astonishing — Creole tomatoes, mirlitons, okra, satsumas — the abundance of Louisiana laid out on tables in the morning sun. I bought too much. I carried it home in bags that strained my arms. I spent the afternoon cooking: shrimp Creole with the tomatoes, fried okra as a side, the satsumas peeled and eaten standing at the counter because some fruit does not need a recipe, it needs appreciation.
Called MawMaw Shirley. Told her about the market. She said, "Did they have fresh crab?" I said yes. She said, "Buy the crab next time. Make my gumbo. The crab gumbo. The real one." I will. The real one. MawMaw Shirley's gumbo in New Orleans, sixty miles from Baker but made from her recipe in her pot by her granddaughter who drives to Baker once a month and will not stop driving because the driving is the love and the love is the roux and the roux comes first.
I said the satsumas didn’t need a recipe — and standing at my counter that afternoon, peeling them one by one, I meant it. But after MawMaw Shirley’s voice was still in my ear and the shrimp Creole was resting on the stove, I found myself squeezing the last of them into something more intentional: a savory orange dressing that pulled all that bright Louisiana citrus into the meal instead of letting it stand apart from it. It felt right — a small way of honoring everything on those tables in the morning sun, making sure nothing went unappreciated.
Savory Orange Dressing
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from satsumas or navel oranges, about 3–4 fruit)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the base. In a medium bowl or a jar with a tight lid, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, apple cider vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard until well blended.
- Add aromatics and seasoning. Stir in the minced shallot, garlic, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Allow the mixture to sit for 2 minutes so the flavors begin to meld.
- Emulsify with olive oil. While whisking steadily (or with the jar sealed and shaking vigorously), drizzle in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until the dressing is emulsified and slightly thickened.
- Finish and taste. Stir in fresh thyme leaves if using. Taste and adjust — add a pinch more salt, a touch more honey for sweetness, or a splash more vinegar for brightness.
- Serve or store. Drizzle immediately over greens, roasted vegetables, or alongside Southern mains like shrimp Creole. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; shake well before each use.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 138 | Protein: 0g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 148mg