All winter, I make citrus salads that cleave, for the most part, to the same basic formula.
I cover a platter with sliced oranges, tangerines or grapefruit, or a combination of the three, and scatter olives or capers and a few thinly sliced red onions over the top. Olive oil, red pepper flakes and sea salt complete the picture. I can throw it together in six minutes flat.
It’s exuberantly juicy, sweet and spicy, the perfect thing to cut through the meaty richness of all those wintry braises and roasts.
PINK GRAPEFRUIT AND RADICCHIO SALAD WITH DATES AND PISTACHIOS
(Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS
2 pink or red grapefruits
2 Medjool dates, pitted and thinly sliced
½ medium shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
Fine sea salt, to taste
1 small head radicchio, halved and cored
4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbs coarsely chopped pistachio nuts
Freshly ground black pepper.
METHOD
Slice the top and bottom off one of
the grapefruits.
Stand it up on a cut side and, using a small sharp knife, slice off the peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit. Save the peels (there should be some red fruit clinging to the pith).
Repeat with the other grapefruit. Slice both grapefruits into 0.5cm-thick rounds and arrange on a platter. Evenly sprinkle the dates on top.
Squeeze the juice from the grapefruit peel into a small bowl.
You should have about a tablespoon. If there is less, squeeze some from one of the grapefruit slices.
Add the shallot and a pinch of salt; let it sit for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the radicchio and add to a bowl. Add the shallot and grapefruit juice and toss to combine. Toss in 3 tablespoons of the oil.
Sprinkle grapefruit slices with salt and drizzle with the remaining oil.
Place a mound of the radicchio in the middle of the grapefruit, leaving a border of the fruit exposed. Sprinkle with pistachios and black pepper and serve immediately.