Spanish Cheeses With Blood Orange Salad

One of the most unusual and memorable desserts I've ever encountered. From "The Cheese Course" by Janet Fletcher

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1  large shallot, minced
•  kosher salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 6  blood oranges
• 12 -18  fresh mint leaves
• 1 1⁄2 lbs  spanish cheese, of 3 varieties

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, shallot, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Let stand 30 minutes to allow shallot flavor to mellow.
3. Cut a slice off both ends of each orange so they will stand upright.
4. Stand an orange on a cutting surface and, using a sharp knife, remove all the peel and white pith by slicing from top to bottom all the way around the orange, following the contour of the fruit.
5. Repeat with remaining oranges.
6. Cut the peeled oranges crosswise into slices 1/4 inch thick.
7. Discard the first and last slices if they seem to be mostly membrane.
8. Remove the small bit of white pith at the center of each slice.
9. Arrange fruit on a platter or divide among 6 individual plates.
10. Tear the mint leaves into small pieces and scatter over the orange slices.
11. Spoon the dressing over the oranges, making sure the shallots are evenly distributed.
12. If you have arranged the oranges on a platter, serve cheeses separately from a cheese board.
13. For an individual presentation, put a small portion of each cheese alongside the oranges on each plate.