We nabbed a ton of citrus from visiting relatives in Palm Desert. This was one of the results. Lately, I've been enjoying salad dressings made with lemon juice more than those made with vinegars. Maybe it is because citrus fruits are in season and they are just so delicious right now. Maybe it's a blast of freshness during the winter. The cold, dreary, California winter. Maybe that's it.
The tangerine makes for an extra burst of flavor to build on when lemon by itself sometimes adds little more than just acidity. The salad is a base of mixed greens with some red onion sliced thin for some earthiness and pungency. Toasted almond slivers bring some crunch and another layer of flavor to the bowl. Lastly, avocado adds body and this could suffice for a weekday meal as far as I'm concerned.
Ingredients:
- 1 bag of greens
- 1/4 of a red onion, sliced thin
- 1 large tangerine or 2 small ones, supremed
- 1/2 cup of almond slices
- 1 ripe avocado cup into wedges
Dressing:
- Juice of the tangerine
- About 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon of Honey
- About 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
To Assemble:
Open the bag of greens. Wouldn't that be funny if someone tried making this without doing that? Supreme the tangerine, put the segments aside to top the salad with and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Add the mustard, the honey, the lemon juice, to the bowl with the tangerine juice and whisk in the olive oil.
Toast the almond slices briefly in a dry skillet to bloom their flavor, about 2-4 minutes (or you could put them into a 350 degree oven for about 2-5 minutes). Dump the greens into a large bowl and dress with the vinaigrette. Add the tangerine segments, the onions, avocado slices, and the almond slices.