My sisters-in-law and I often swap ideas for dishes, many of them made au pif — a French expression for cooking without a recipe, just trusting your instincts and pulling flavors together. This orange and olive salad was one of my sister-in-law Danick's creations.

At first, it didn’t appeal to me. I couldn’t quite picture oranges and olives together, though I love both. But when Danick said on s'est régalée — they absolutely loved it — I saved the idea, telling myself maybe I’d try it later.

Then one day I found myself needing a first course and had almost nothing on hand — no salad greens, no fresh vegetables — just a few oranges and my stash of French-cured black olives. It was time to give Danick’s dish a try.

And on s'est régalée too! Now it's a favorite. I've made it with and without shallots, and I often add basil for a pop of color and flavor. Here are two simple versions, with different dressings to choose from. Even if this dish isn’t your thing, remember: all you need to create a fabulous first course is a few of your favorite ingredients.