Not many people get to soak up the sun during the winter time. Lucky for me my husband Art grew up in southern Arizona and has friends and family that are always up for a visit when our area of Utah gets buried in ice and snow.
Besides not having to chisel ice off my windshield, visiting Arizona in the wintertime also has the benefit of lovely warm sunshine and juicy ripe fruit hanging heavy on the citrus trees. The grapefruit are my very favorite. I love the sight of those large sunny globes weighing down the branches, the acidic bite on my tongue, and the way my hands smell after picking them. My oldest son Corey loves to pick the fruit just as his Daddy did when he was a boy.
In our family, both Oma and Aunt Kathy have grapefruit trees and practically beg us to come pick and take as much fruit as we like. As a result, I’ve become pretty creative with them, because really, I’d hate to waste a single one!
I want to share my own recipe for a grapefruit vinaigrette, designed to add a light, tangy zest to your winter greens.
First, let me introduce you to shallots. These petite members of the onion family taste sweet, with a slightly spicy kick. Like garlic, shallots are formed in clusters with a head composed of multiple cloves. The skin color of shallots can vary from golden brown to rose red, and their off-white flesh is usually tinged with purple. I love onions, but a shallot offers a mellow sort of flavor that an onion can’t quite match without combining different varieties.
Start by peeling the skin off of one clove, then cut in half. Place one of the halves into a mini food processor or blender. Add the salt. Hold rosemary sprig over food processor and gently pull off the needle like leaves. Discard the sprig. Chop for 30 seconds.
Add the vinegar, olive oil, grapefruit juice, honey, and grapefruit rind. Mix for 90 seconds or until smooth. Chill for 10 minutes then toss with salad.
Once dressing your greens, serve them immediately. If making in advance, keep in mind that as your vinaigrette sits, the shallots may tend to overtake some of the other flavors so unless you want to serve SHALLOT vinaigrette, you may want to cut back the amount used if you plan to store before serving.
I like to serve this dressing with arugula, spinach, or spring mix. The bitterness of the salad is a perfect compliment to the tangy sweetness of the dressing. Tossing in some thinly sliced granny smith apples, blue or gorgonzola cheese, candied nuts, and cherry tomatoes will make you a real salad virtuoso!
:kissing my fingertips: Take a bow, Crafty Friends. 😉
Grapefruit Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 shallot clove
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 stem fresh rosemary
- 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/3 c. fresh grapefruit juice
- 2 Tsp honey
- 1 Tbsp grapefruit rind
Instructions
- Peel shallot and place 1/2 clove into small food processor or blender.
- Add salt and rosemary to shallot and chop 30 seconds.
- Add vinegar, olive oil, grapefruit juice, honey, and grapefruit rind and blend for 90 seconds.
- Chill for 10 mins. in the refrigerator.
- Toss with salad and enjoy!
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