Orange, Dates and Spinach Salad with Lemon-Cardamon Dressing

I wasn't sure about this recipe at first. Two reasons: orange and cardamon dressing. Neither Adrian nor I like orange much - it's not one of those fruits that we normally go for. Why did I choose this recipe? It's because there was one extra orange from the Orange-Pan Glazed Tempeh recipe I did the other night.

Cardamon dressing? Haven't even heard of it. I don't even cook with cardamon that much except for the occasional ethnic foods such as this. Therefore my association with cardamon is either Indian or curry. Very shallow. But what do you know? It's always good to jump into unknown territory just to be taken by surprise. Good surprise.

I could tell Adrian was not fond of the orange from the way he picked them out. But overall he liked the salad. It's especially good with the dates. It's a recipe worth making and remaking.

Ingredients:
(serve 2 as a side)
For the dressing:

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (Lemon juice + whole milk)
  
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad:

• 1 bunch spinach, rinsed, dried and chiffonade
  
• 1 large orange, sliced into halves and pull apart into sections, retain the shells
  
• 4 cherry tomatoes, halved
  
• 1/2 medium-sized red onion, thinly sliced
• 6 pitted dates, chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1. In a small bowl, place the sliced onion and pour the reserved lemon juice over it. Set aside.
2. For the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.
3. For the salad, toss all of those ingredients together, including the lemon juice-soaked red onion.
   
4. Toss and coat the salad with the dressing. Scoop over reserved shells to serve.