Rick Bayless is chef of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago, creator of Frontera gourmet foods, cookbook author and host of Mexico - One Plate at a Time.

test

RICKMAIL - sign up for our email list From the Kitchen of Chef Rick Bayless

Recipes from the Test Kitchen - Starters, Soups & Salads

Butter Lettuce with Blood Orange, Avocado and a Citrus Vinaigrette

Serves 2
Butter Lettuce with Blood Orange, Avocado and a Citrus Vinaigrette

Here’s a light salad that takes advantage of winter citrus with the use of both blood oranges and Meyer lemons.  I added the buttery richness of diced avocado and slivered almonds for an element of crunch.  This salad is a wonderful accompaniment to the Roasted Lobster Tails and rounds out the menu for a romantic Valentine’s dinner.  I’ve given you the quantities for two, but this salad can easily be scaled up.  The proportions for the dressing will be enough to dress 4 salads.

Ingredients

1 head butter lettuce, washed and dried well
3 blood oranges
1 Meyer lemon
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
Salt
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 medium ripe avocado
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Directions

Arrange the butter lettuce over the bottom of a shallow large bowl or medium platter.

Grate the rind from 2 blood oranges and the Meyer lemon and scrape the zest into a medium bowl.   Juice the lemon and 1 blood orange.  You need 1/4 cup of each juice.

Supreme the 2 blood oranges over a separate bowl by cutting off the white pith to expose the fruit, then, cut between the membranes to release the segments.  Squeeze the juice from the membranes.  Scatter the orange segments over the top of the lettuce taking care to leave the juice behind.  Measure the juices and add them to the blood orange juice if you need them to make the 1/4 cup.  Pour the blood orange and lemon juices into the bowl with the zest.  Add the champagne vinegar, Dijon, honey and 1 teaspoon salt.  Whisk together until the salt has dissolved.  Add the oil and whisk until the dressing has emulsified.

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise.  Peel and discard the pit.  Dice the avocado and scatter the pieces over the top of the salad.

Lightly dress the salad with the vinaigrette and sprinkle the almonds over the top.  Place the remaining vinaigrette in a re-sealable container and refrigerate for another use.

Jill's Wine Recommendations:  The 2009 Reichsrat von Buhl Riesling Sekt is a bubbly, dry wine from Pfalz, Germany. This pairs beautifully with the vibrant blood orange in the salad.If you have problems finding a sparkling Riesling you could use a Spanish Cava instead.

Recipes