Clementine & Avocado Salad

This salad is simple but so beautiful — and especially lovely when citrus is in its peak (the best part of winter, am i right?). You can use any variety of orange, but clementines have the perfect balance of sweet and mild tartness that provide a refreshing start to dinner.

Clementines are small, so supreme-ing them takes time and a little skill. If you’re not experienced, it’s completely fine to peel them —just try to remove as much pith and membrane as you can.

Clementine & Avocado Salad with Shallots, Watercress & Pistachio
serves 2

shopping list —

for the clementine & avocado salad —

• 6-8 clementines

• 1 avocado

• 2 shallots

• 1/2 bunch watercress

• 2 tbsp pistachio, toasted and chopped

for the vinaigrette —

• zest & juice of 2 oranges

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1-2 tbsp honey, adjust to taste

• 2 tsp dijon mustard

• 1/3 - 3/4 cup neutral oil

• salt to taste

equipment —

• microplane

• immersion blender or blender

• knife & cutting board

steps —

1. For the vinaigrette: zest and juice the orange. In a container, combine the orange juice and zest, apple cider vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, and salt. Blend with a immersion blender while slowly drizzling in the oil. Adjust the seasoning with acid, salt, and/or more oil until you achieve a balance of tangy and slightly sweet.

2. Supreme the clementines: slice off the top and bottom of the clementines. Stand the clementine upright on one of its cut sides. Starting at the top of the orange, slice downward to remove the rind and pith, following the curve of the fruit. Continue around the clementine until all the rind and pith is removed. After removing the pith, use a paring knife to slice along the membranes on both sides of each segment to free the wedges.

   *Chef Tip: Once the segments are cut from the clementines, squeeze the remaining core over a bowl to collect the extra juice. This juice can be added to the vinaigrette or used to store the clementine supremes to keep them from driving out.

3. Slice the shallots into thin rings using a mandoline. Soak in ice water for 10 minutes to reduce their bite.

4. Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit and slice again in half the long way. Remove the peels. Cut each quarter into thirds on a strong bias for large chunks.

5. To plate: arrange the clementine segments and sliced avocado on a serving platter and top with the shallot rings. Drizzle or spoon the vinaigrette over the fruit. Season with maldon salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Scatter the watercress on top and finish with a sprinkle of pistachios.