Winter Citrus Salad
with lemon vinaigrette
When people think of salads from 10 years ago, the first thing that pops into their heads are probably a plate of sad and wilted iceberg lettuce slathered in ranch dressing with a few wedges of sliced tomatoes served on the side.
Salads have come a long way from the way we thought of them before compared to how they are viewed now. Welcome to the modern world where instead of them being a forgotten after thought, they are now thought of as creative additions and at times the main dishes.
The great thing about this Citrus Winter Salad is that it is a modern take on the basic fruit salad. It is tangy and sweet with a just a hint of bite from the fennel and red onion. I usually make a large batch of the lemon vinaigrette used for the dressing and marinade chicken over night in it. I finish it off by grilling it on the stovetop with some fresh blood orange and lemon slices, creating the perfect dish for lunch or a light dinner.
For those of you who have not discovered the blood orange, you are totally missing out. They have a distinct flavor consisting of a mild raspberry like taste. They are extremely delicate in flavor and pair quite well along side the sharp bite of grapefruit and the sweet bite of naval orange. I can’t get enough of them, especially when they are included in this salad as a whole.
Ingredients:
- 3 Blood Oranges, peeled & sliced
- 2 Large Naval Oranges, peeled & sliced
- 1 Large Red Grapefruit, peeled & sliced
- ½ Red Onion, sliced thin
- ½ c. Fennel, sliced thing
- 3 c. Baby Arugula
- Handful of fresh Italian Parsley, Dill, and Mint
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- Ingredients for Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:
- 2 tsp. Honey Dijon Mustard
- 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Directions:
- Prepare the salad by peeling and slicing the fruit, set aside. Wash the fresh herbs and salad, set aside.
- Mix the salad dressing.
- Plate the salad on the platter by layering it with salad, fresh herbs, and then topping it with fresh sliced fruit, onions and fennel. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.