Blood Orange-Avocado Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Light and brightly flavored... just the right accompaniment for rich holiday dishes!
Hello LCK’s Cooking Well Friends!
How is your holiday meal planning going?
I was reviewing a few previous holiday menus recently and noticed that I oftentimes included a citrus salad in the mix. With so many rich dishes present during the season, it’s nice to have something light and bright to complement.
Blood oranges begin hitting grocery stores in December, just in time to bring a welcome burst of citrus sunshine to the winter season. Their intense color and complex (but generally less acidic) flavor pair well with fresh lettuce, avocado, and beets, among other foods.
For this flavorful salad, choose any mixed greens you like, and feel free to substitute almonds for the pistachios. Instructions for roasting beets follow the salad recipe, but if time is short, steamed beets from the produce section of the grocery store work well.
If blood oranges are unavailable, pink grapefruit or Cara Cara oranges do the trick. Simply substitute the alternate citrus sections and juice in the recipe.
To make the blood orange “Supremes”, check out this handy instruction guide from Martha Stewart (www.marthastewart.com) - How to Supreme Citrus Fruit.
DOUBLE DUTY IDEA: Brighten grilled or roasted vegetables with a drizzle of the Citrus Vinaigrette or use it as a marinade for seafood or chicken.
Happy holiday cooking to you!
— Chef Susan
Servings: 6
INGREDIENTS:
For the Salad:
10 ounces mixed greens (spinach, curly endive, escarole, baby lettuce, or other mixed greens)
2 roasted or steamed golden beets, cooked, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 blood oranges, divided (3 sectioned into “Supremes”, 1 for juicing)
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup pistachios, shelled, roasted
1/2 – 3/4 cup Manchego cheese, shredded or crumbled
For the Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh blood orange juice (from 1 blood orange)
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Prepare the Vinaigrette
In a small bowl, whisk together all of the vinaigrette ingredients until fully combined and emulsified.
Set aside to allow flavors to blend for at least 15 minutes.
Use immediately or store in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
Assemble the Salad
In a large mixing bowl, place the mixed greens. Drizzle with a small amount of the vinaigrette and toss to lightly coat. Add more vinaigrette if needed.
On individual salad plates, arrange a bed of the dressed mixed greens. Then top with the beets, avocado slices, and blood orange sections, divided each between the plates. Drizzle additional vinaigrette lightly over the top.
Garnish each plate with the pistachio nuts and cheese. Serve immediately.
ROASTED BEETS:
NOTE: Beets may be prepared ahead for later use. When cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
INGREDIENTS
2 large golden beets, peeled (about 1 - 2 pounds before peeling)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
Light sprinkling each of Kosher salt and ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a small baking dish by spraying with cooking spray. Set aside.
Strip the thyme leaves from the stems; discard stems. Set aside.
Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and peel each one. Cut the beets in half and place into a small mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper over the beets. Toss to coat.
Transfer the beets to prepared baking dish. Place into the oven and roast for 35 to 45 minutes, turning occasionally, until the beets are tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Beets may be served warm or cold. When ready to use, slice or dice the beets.
winter salads and citrus is exactly what I am craving!