With winter citrus at its ripest and sweetest, we’re always looking for new ways to showcase it. Here are four salads starring oranges, pomelo and grapefruit to serve at your next dinner party (and not one of them starts with mixed greens!) Before you start, see our tip for segmenting citrus to make those beautiful restaurant-style wedges at home.
Charred Orange, Escarole & Almonds
4 large Valencia oranges
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling, plus 1/4 cup
1 head escarole, tough outer leaves removed and leaves separated and torn
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbs. sherry vinegar
Sea salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Marcona almonds
Preheat a grill or grill pan to high.
Using a sharp knife, cut off top and bottom of oranges and stand upright. Following the contour of fruit, slice off peel and white pith. Cut oranges crosswise into slices 1/4 inch thick. Drizzle with olive oil. Grill orange slices, turning once, until well charred on both sides, 2-4 minutes total. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine escarole, parsley, 1/4 cup olive oil, and vinegar and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add oranges and almonds, toss well, and divide salad evenly among individual plates. Serve at once. Serves 4.
Pomela, Jicama & Chile
1 large pomelo
1/2 small jicama, peeled
4 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 small Thai chile, seeded and minced
1/2 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro
Sea salt and ground pepper
Peel and segment pomelo, letting each section and juices drop into a bowl. Using a fork, break up segments into bite-sized pieces.
Using a mandoline, cut jicama into paper-thin slices. Add jicama to pomelo along with green onions, chile, pepitas and cilantro. Stir to combine and season to taste wtih salt and pepper. Serve at once. Serves 4-6.
Grapefruit, Avocado & Beet
2
golden beets, trimmed
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 large pink grapefruits
1 1/2 tsp. Champagne vinegar
2 Hass avocados, sliced
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
Sea salt and ground pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat beets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and wrap in foil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and unwrap. When cool enough to handle, rub beets between paper towels to remove skins. Set aside.
Peel and segment grapefruits, letting segments and juices drop into a bowl. Set aside.
Using a mandoline, slice beets into paper-thin slices. Place beets in a bowl, drizzle with oil and vinegar, and toss. Add grapefruits, avocados, basil and onion, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide among individual glasses or plates and serve at once. Serves 4.
Orange, Mint & Hazelnut
3 blood oranges
3 navel oranges
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground pepper
Fresh mint leaves from 6 sprigs, torn if large
Using a sharp knife, cut off top and bottom of oranges and stand upright. Following the contour of fruit, slice off peel and white pith. Cut oranges crosswise into slices 1/4 inch thick. Arrange on a platter. Scatter with hazelnuts and drizzle with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with mint and serve at once. Serves 4-6.