Maniati Food Week:

Maniatiki Salad with Orange & Smoked Pork

What Makes Maniatiki Salad Unique

So, what is one of the favorite fruits in Mani? Orange! You can find oranges in so many recipes, and I’ll admit…I may have secretly picked one from a main-street orange tree. But to be fair, it was still greenish and not quite ready—and to be even more fair, it was the tastiest orange I’ve ever had! I wish I had brought more oranges back from Mani, along with some of my other favorite ingredients.

What Is Siglino?

A Closer Look at Traditional Siglino

Another famous ingredient from Mani is siglino. What is siglino? It’s pork that is first salted and cured, then smoked, and usually simmered with orange and spices.

A True Mani Experience

My dad reminded me (a true Maniatis) that you haven’t truly experienced Mani unless you’ve had siglino. He’s right—it’s everywhere in Mani.

The Key Ingredients

Smoked Ham as a Substitute

This salad wouldn’t be a true Maniatiki salad without siglino, but unfortunately, I had to use something different. I ended up using smoked Primo Taglio Virginia Ham. It wasn’t the same, but it still worked beautifully. The key is choosing a smoked ham so you get that same depth of flavor.

The Flavor of Mani’s Famous Oranges

Fresh orange segments are essential—they add brightness, sweetness, and that signature Mani citrus aroma.

Why Potatoes Are Essential in Mani Cuisine

My Dad’s Signature Mani Potatoes

The other star ingredient is potatoes. Yes…my dad makes boiled or fried round potatoes every single day! I’m not joking. It’s hilarious because the restaurant where I first tried a similar salad in Gytheio served the exact same potatoes! I genuinely thought my dad made this salad in a funny, unique way—LOL.

Spinach or Arugula? Choosing Your Greens

Why Spinach Works So Well

I like to use two different varieties of salad mix—either spinach or an arugula blend. In this specific recipe today, I used spinach. It gives the salad a tender, earthy balance that pairs beautifully with the smoked meat and citrus.

How to Build the Perfect Maniatiki Salad

• Add warm or room-temperature boiled potatoes.
• Add a generous amount of fresh spinach or mixed greens.
• Layer the smoked pork or traditional siglino.
• Add bright fresh orange segments & fennel.
• Finish with a drizzle of homemade orange vinaigrette.
• Sprinkle with toasted walnuts.

Maniatiki Salad Recipe (Orange & Pork Salad)

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 large red potatoes whole, skin on
• 1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thinly
• 3 cups of spinach leaves or arugula mix
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
• 1 large orange, segments (see notes)
• 1 blood orange, segments (see notes)
• 12-15  cubes- 1/2 inch square pieces of Primo Taglio Virginia Ham
• 1/4 cup of toasted halved walnuts
• Salt & Cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Prepare the potatoes inside a salted pot filled with water. Cover the potatoes with skin on, and then boil for about 15-20 minutes until fork tender.
2. When the potatoes are boiling, prepare the dressing and then chill.
3. Prepare the fennel and red onion slices. I used a mandolin which made it very easy to finely slice.
4. How to prepare the orange segments: Cut off the top and bottom of the oranges. Make sure you slice off a thin piece so the orange can stand up on a cutting board. While using a serrated small knife, gently follow the curve of the fruit and slice the downward while removing the peel and white pith.
5. Place the orange in your hand, and cut out the segments of the orange. Use your pairing knife to cut along both sides of the membrane. Then gently remove the segment from each section. Set aside in bowl until ready to use.
6. Once the potatoes are cooked, cool them down slightly, and then cut them into rounds. You want about 10-12 pieces. Layer them onto a large salad plate, warm.
7. Add the salad, fennel, and red onion to a medium bowl and then add the dressing. Mix to combine and then add the salad over the potatoes.
8. Add the beautiful orange segments over the salad,  and then add the cubed ham on top. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts & add more pepper if needed. You can drizzle more dressing if you have any extra, for added flavor.

Orange Vinaigrette Dressing 

Ingredients:

• 1 large orange, reserve the juice
• 1/2 lemon, reserve the juice
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & cracked black pepper for taste

Method:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, and mustard.
2. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is emulsified.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste. Taste, and see if you need to add more seasoning.
4. Chill for 10–15 minutes to let the flavors come together.

Notes:

• I used Primo Taglio Virginia Ham in replacement of Siglino
• Toasted walnuts are really good in this salad, but you can use any nuts you prefer.
• The more orange juice in the salad dressing the better.
• You can add Kalamata olives to this salad for extra kick of flavor!
• We left out the red onion in our photos by accident, but I know red onion pairs perfectly in this!
• Spring mix, arugula, or spinach works great in this recipe
• Adding Feta cheese to the mix is really good too!
• I used the Epicurean garlic honey in this dressing to replace the garlic, and it worked really well!