Citrus Salad Recipes That Take Advantage Of Winter Fruits

January 13, 2017 at 8:58 am · Filed under Fruits, Nuts & Seeds, Recipes, Tip Of The Day, Vegetables-Salads-Herbs, Videos

Beet & Citrus Salad
[1] Citrus with beets and greens have eye appeal and taste great. Here’s the recipe from Southern Living (photo © Southern Living).

Citrus Onion Salad
[2] Pretty as a picture. Here’s the recipe from the Today Show (photo © Today).

Pear Gorgonzola Salad
[3] An elegant take on ambrosia (recipe at right, from Fosters Market).

[4] Cara cara oranges (photo © Whiteflower Farm, which sells Cara Cara trees).

[5] The three main varieties of blood oranges have different levels of red. That doesn’t indicate sweetness; it’s just a varietal characteristic. Here, the tarocco blood orange variety (photo © Good Eggs).

When cold weather limits the choices of both fruits and vegetables, a sprightly citrus salad can be a treat for the eyes and the palate.

It can be served for lunch or dinner:

As the salad course

As the main course with a protein—poached salmon, scallops, shrimp or other shellfish a salad course, as a main with seafood

As dessert, with burrata, goat or other soft cheese

When you mix colors, the results are truly glorious. They’re pretty, taste and good for you!

You can have a base of greens:

Baby arugula and/or spinach

Endive and/or radicchio

Mesclun

The dressings can be:

Balsamic vinaigrette

Blue cheese (add a pinch of brown sugar)

Fruit yogurt

Vinaigrette with a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup

Garnishes can add:

Crunch (grated carrots, sliced or julienned celery or radish, nuts)

Color (carrots, dried cranberries or cherries, green sprouts or cress, pomegranate arils, red bell pepper, red chili flakes or jalapeño)

You can also add another colorful winter favorite, beets, to the salad.

There are endless variations of citrus salads. Here are two classic combinations; elaborate on them as you wish.

RECIPE #1: AMBROSIA WITH CITRUS & FLAKY COCONUT

In Greek mythology, the gods ate ambrosia and drank nectar, fragrant foods that were typically reserved for divine beings.

While no descriptions of either these foods survive (the word ambrosia means delicious or fragrant and nectar indicates a delicious or invigorating drink), scholars have long believed that both ambrosia and nectar were based on honey.

The elegant recipe that follows (photo #3) is from Fosters Market Cookbook, recipes from a fine market and café in Durham, North Carolina.

Here’s a recipe for another style of ambrosia from Alton Brown, with a sour cream dressing, pecans, grapes, mini marshmallows and more.

Ingredients For 8 To 10 Servings

2 navel oranges

2 cara cara oranges

2 blood oranges

2 red grapefruits

2 clementines

1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 Meyer lemon (substitute other lemon or lime)

Preparation

1. PEEL the citrus. First cut off the tops and bottoms with so the fruit sits flat. Then place on a cutting board and cut away the skin and pith, working around the circle between the fruit and the pith.

2. SLICE each fruit into rounds or half rounds, depending on the size. Remove any seeds.

3. PLACE on a large platter or individual plates, and sprinkle with any juice that has collected on the board. Sprinkle the dried cranberries/cherries and coconut over the top.

4. ZEST the lemon over the salad; then cut in half and squeeze the juice over the citrus.

5. SERVE, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

RECIPE #2 FOLLOWS, BELOW.

RECIPE #2: AVOCADO GRAPEFRUIT SALAD WITH MACADAMIA NUT DRESSING

Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog developed this recipe by browsing the produce aisle and picking up what was available.

“Something about the acidic, subtly sweet citrus, creamy avocado, and crunchy macadamia nuts make this salad utterly unforgettable,” Hannah says. “Don’t just take my word for it, because I’m afraid I can’t do it full justice in a few short sentences. It’s just too good to fully explain in words. This simple, invigorating combination will brighten short winter days.”

If you don’t like avocado, or can’t find a ripe one, she recommends:

“Mix citrus segments with any other fruits that are available; or make an all-citrus salad, combining segments from grapefruits, oranges, blood oranges, cara cara oranges, and so forth. The mix of colors is absolutely gorgeous.”

Ingredients For 2-3 Servings

For The Macadamia Nut Dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 scallions, sliced

1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

For The Salad

8 cups arugula

2 cups thinly sliced fennel

1 small sweet onion, sliced

1 large pink or red grapefruit, sliced into segments

1 large, ripe avocado, sliced

1/3 cup toasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

[6] Grapefruit and avocado with macadamia nut dressing (photo courtesy Bittersweet Blog).

1. MAKE the dressing. Combine the ingredients in a blender or food processor and purée on high, until creamy and completely smooth.

2. PLACE the arugula and fennel in a bowl and toss with the dressing; or if you prefer, serve the dressing on the side. Divide the greens between 2 or 3 bowls.

3. TOP with equal amounts of grapefruit, avocado, and macadamia nuts. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper as needed, or simply place the shakers on the table for self-service.

MORE WAYS TO USE CITRUS

As a garnish on everything from vegetables to mains.

Recipes from chiles rellenos to sushi.

THE HISTORY OF GRAPEFRUIT

But the grapefruit’s ancestor, the pummelo (also pomelo or shaddock), comes from far away—it’s native to Malaysia and Indonesia. Pummelo seeds were brought from the East Indies to the West Indies in 1693 by an English ship commander. The grapefruit may have been a horticultural accident or a deliberate hybridization between the pummelo and the orange

Here’s more.

HOW TO SEGMENT CITRUS