Winter Salad with Grapefruit, Avocado & Creamy Preserved Lemon Dressing
I had fallen in love with California before I had even been there. I just knew I wanted to be there. I’m still in love with it after living here for almost eight years. The weather (ah! the weather), the surf, the sun, the people, the FOOD! The fresh produce! My goodness gracious, I can not get over how much better the produce is out here. Sorry Mom, but I’m not moving back any time soon.
The first time I came to visit California I was a senior in college. I was applying to grad school in Santa Cruz to become a teacher because I had no idea what I was going to do after I graduated. My best friend and I flew out from the East Coast to drive up the coast starting in Laguna Beach, up to San Francisco and back. I remember at one point I was driving south on the PCH and Elisa said to me, “let me drive,” because I was so awestruck by the view that she thought I might drive us off the cliff.
When we were in Venice beach staying with Elisa’s Aunt I remember having a really delicious salad with a combination of flavors I had never thought would make sense. Avocado and grapefruit? It stuck with me and I’ve been meaning to try and replicate that salad ever since. My grandma sends me a delicious box of citrus around Christmas every year so I had plenty of grapefruits to use up, and this salad was a great way. I think you’ll really dig it too.
The preserved lemon in this recipe is from a jar that I made back in the summer, using this recipe. You can buy them at any good grocery store, or Mediterranean market, or Amazon. If you wanted to skip the preserved lemons, just use about 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1Tbsp or so of dijon mustard in its place (and skip the water), and season with salt to your liking. It won’t be as creamy but it will still work.
To section the grapefruit follow the pictures below. Slice off the top and bottom and using a sharp knife remove the peel and the pith (the bitter white part). Over a bowl (it can get juicy), use your knife to cut sections out from between the membranes using the white lines to guide you.
Have fun!
- 2 preserved lemons (about 1 cup)
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cups roughly chopped butter lettuce, about 2 cups per person
- 1 grapefruit, in sections
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
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Combine everything but the olive oil in a blender, and blend until smooth.
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With blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil so that dressing is emulsified. If you need to add more water to loosen it up go for it. Since the lemons are preserved in salt you shouldn't need to add any, but all lemons are different, so add it to taste. This will make more dressing than you will need, so feel free to scale back if you don't think you'll use it again.
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Arrange lettuce on the plates along with the avocado and grapefruit, Sprinkle with almonds and chives.
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Dress salad very delicately just by spooning a little bit over the top. No need to toss the salad, and wait until you're ready to serve to do so. Do not use all the dressing from the recipe above, it makes more than you will need for just two salads.
