Winter Citrus Salad

Citrus Salad

I hate to hear that California is suffering one of its worst freezes ever. The citrus crop is the most vulnerable right now especially the mandarin oranges. Although most of our citrus comes from Florida, the lack of produce from the California market will definitely drive prices to an all time high. Since citrus is at its prime in the winter now is the time to make the most of it before the high prices hit the market.

We focus so much on the juice of citrus that sometimes we overlook how diversified the pulp can be used. The pulp is the wedges without the pith (bitter white part). After carefully separating the pith from the pulp, these wedges can be used in many ways for meal time. I like to use them in winter salads on a bed of peppery arugula. Never toss the pulp wedges or the avocado with the dressing. The wedges will fall apart while the avocado wedges will become mushy. Lay the wedges and avocado slices on top of the dressed arugula and drizzle a little bit of the dressing over the top. The contrast between sweet and sharp makes an ideal combination for salads.

Citrus Salad

2 grapefruits, peeled, seeded, pith removed, separate the wedges

2 oranges, peeled, seeded, pith removed, separate the wedges

1 avocado, peeled, seed removed and sliced into wedges

1 (5 oz) box of arugula

3 Tablespoons of shelled pistachios

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Vinaigrette

2 Tablespoons of lemon juice

1 Tablespoon of white wine vinegar

1 Teaspoon of honey

1 Teaspoon of whole grain mustard

Salt and black pepper to taste

Place all the vinaigrette ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously.

Toss the arugula with 2/3 of the vinaigrette and plate the arugula on each plate. Top the arugula with the grapefruit, oranges, and avocado wedges. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over the top. Garnish with pistachios and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Serves 4