One of the myriad things we love about food is its ability to transport one to another place and time, tapping into memories and deeply held associations. We tend to equate the flavors of citrus with summer and warmer locales, which is fortunate, considering that those particular fruits are equally abundant during the colder months, and not just in Florida or California. Utilizing their availability and those transportive elements, we offer a light, satisfying salad to help battle those dreary, dark and frigid days that pervade the dead of winter.
This salad is loosely based on a roasted citrus salad from Bon Appetit, but ours has a more streamlined preparation, making the process simpler and faster without sacrificing any of the flavor. (Yay!) Where the original recipe called for the citrus to be roasted with the rinds on, here we opted to forego the roasting, removed the rinds and segmented the fresh fruit.
Many of the ingredients tossed into the original salad are used instead to make a rich dressing for the greens. With the addition of the mint and pistachios to the food processor, the finished dressing has elements of a pesto, but the juice from the orange and grapefruit pieces keeps it loose and it coats the arugula easily and beautifully.
The addition of the reserved orange segments, mint leaves, and sliced avocado give the finished salad color and substance, rounding out the flavors and textures of this bright, refreshing dish. As is, it is gluten, soy and dairy free.
It’s also vegan and very resolution friendly, so you can toss it together without having to toss your health goals out the window. If soy isn’t an issue for you, you can top this salad with some grilled, marinated tofu, and if being vegan isn’t a concern, you can top it with grilled chicken or fish for a healthy lunch or light dinner. All of that aside, it’s perfectly delicious on its own. Enjoy!
Inspired by Bon Appetit.
- 3 oranges, divided, peeled and cut into segments
- 1 grapefruit, peeled and cut into segments
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup pistachios, shelled
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound arugula, thick stems trimmed
- 2 avocados, cut into wedges
- In a food processor, combine segments of 2 oranges, grapefruit segments, pistachios, shallot, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and ¼ cup mint leaves in a food processor; season with salt and pepper.Pulse a few times until mixture is pureed. With food processor running, add olive oil in a slow, steady stream.
- In a large bowl, toss arugula with the dressing and the remaining mint. Add avocado wedges and the remaining orange segments and very gently toss until lightly dressed.
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