Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Almond Goat Cheese Rounds
HOME–Brrrr, it’s cold. So. Very. C-c-cold. We’re not used to shivering; we’re used to sunshine. Thank goodness today brought a little bit of both.
Because today, my aunt and uncle drove up from Florida hauling boxes of sunshine in the form of sweet, homegrown grapefruits, big-as-your-fist Meyer lemons, and juice-filled Florida oranges. These cannonballs of citrus sunshine will heat up the coldest kitchen and transport you back to the healthy eating days of summer. And after a month-long binge of sugary treats, healthy is exactly how our minds need to think.
This sunny salad is a textural symphony. The fennel and celery provide the bass crunch. The garam masala in the dressing will kick up a cancan on your tongue. And the citrus sings like a sultry siren from some exotic far-away island.
Plus, it’s pretty and cheerful. Which, reminds me: I have been smiling for days now. In fact, I am smiling in my head before I even get out of bed in the morning. I now clearly recognize this as my old, normal state of mind! Very similar to putting on teeny tiny pound a week– you don’t realize you’re full blown fat until your belly is full on fighting your zippers and buttons for the heavy weight title. Depression, much like fat cells, is insidious.
I am declaring myself officially cured. Whew, right?
Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Almond Goat Cheese Rounds
Serves 2 to 4 persons
Goat Cheese, 2 1″ rounds per person, sliced from cheese log
Sliced Almonds, 1 T per goat cheese round
1/2 bulb of Fennel, shaved thin
2 stalks of Celery, sliced thin
2 Grapefruits, sectioned
2 Oranges, sectioned
Baby Lettuce Greens, 1 large handful per person
Fennel fronds (garnish)
Cilantro leaves (garnish)
Dried Black Olives (optional)
—-
Marinade/Dressing
Juice of 1/2 Orange + 1/2 Meyer Lemon ( or enough citrus juice to equal 1/2 cup)
2 T Honey
1/4 cup light salad oil such as Safflower
1/4 t Garam Masala
Kosher Salt (2 generous pinches) and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste—
Freezing temps haven't stopped our lettuce crop, yet.
First, assemble goat cheese rounds by rolling in sliced almonds. Place in refrigerator while mixing the dressing and assembling the remaining salad. If you intend to thoroughly warm/melt cheese, then refrigerate for at least one hour.
Combine Dressing ingredients in a covered glass jar. Shake vigorously. Optionally, the marinade can be heated. Marinate fennel, citrus segments, and celery in dressing. Gently wash and dry greens and place in bowls. Spoon generous helpings of marinated citrus, etc. onto lettuce greens. Heat cheese rounds until almonds brown and cheese is melting. Place atop greens. Top with snipped fennel fronds and cilantro. Serve immediately.
January 9th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Glad to hear you are back to your normal self Kim! That’s terrific news.
Given your recent bounty of lemons & oranges, do you happen to know how long they keep? I got a HUGE batch of lemons at CostCo the other day (so no way are they as good as the ones you received), and I am all set to make a big batch of lemon curd. But all of the sudden my week looks grim, with lots of work, & I am not sure I will get to them this week. And THIS TIME NEXT WEEK Jill, Joe, Gregg, & I will be in Steamboat, skiing our buns off! So will the lemons keep ’til I get back on the 24th? Or shall I stay up and make Midnight Lemon Curd one night?
January 9th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Beautiful salad. That reminds me that I have a large grapefruit waiting to be opened. A snack for later, I think so.
January 9th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
@Kelly- Hey you. I might not take a chance on a whole bag of lemons- even when refrigerated they can go before you know it. To be safe, I would zest them and freeze the zest in a plastic bag and then juice a bunch every night and freeze the juice in ice trays over the week or in smaller double freezer bags. This way, you don’t have to launch into full on lemon curd mode when you really need to be packing!
Steamboat sounds fantastic! You be careful on those double black diamonds and have a great time. I know you will. We still haven’t met Jill, but maybe we should make “Drive to Charlotte and Meet Jill” one of our 2010 resolutions! ha.
January 10th, 2010 at 5:01 am
This salad is just out of this world. The colors are so vibrant. I could imagine how all the textures and flavors when I taste it. Although fennel is just missing on my ingredient list.
January 10th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Glad you are feeling happy again. This salad looks stunning. Loved the pictures, is that a spine bookcase behind there?
January 10th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Just popped in from I’m not sure where. Sure glad I did, that salad has me puckering from here. Thanks for sharing, Kim. Bookmarked!!!
January 10th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
@Anna- Why yes, you have good eyes! It’s a Sapien Bookcase for my cookbooks. And as precarious as it seems to most people, it’s very stable. And actually, I am thinking that you may have one of these, too, if I remember correctly from seeing pictures of your last place. Is it true?
January 11th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Kim – hadn’t checked the web since early Saturday, but had already decided to make the lemon curd. Did so last night, and it turned out GREAT! It is very tart, oh so smooth, and yummy! I doubt it will last the week!
This was the third recipe I have tried from the Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It book, and I LOVE IT! If you haven’t seen it yet, go to the library, go directly to the library, do not pass go, do not collect $200. The book is stellar, packed with all sorts of kitchen projects to make & eat.
Next on my list of To Make’s are the homemade graham crackers and marshmallows. Killer S’Mores, here I come!
January 12th, 2010 at 10:06 am
I am thrilled to hear you are feeling better. I was just about to hop on a plane in my clown suit and do a little happy dance for you. Phew… I dodged that humiliating bullet. GREG
January 14th, 2010 at 11:36 am
So happy to hear you are all smiles again! Could it be due to the fact that you were eating such beautiful salads like this one…loaded with nutrients and energy! I am definitely grabbing this salad to make…I need it!
ronelle
January 17th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Miss Kim,
What a gorgeous, sunny salad. Perfect for a cold rainy day here in D.C.
BTW, I had a long conversation with my best friend in Seattle last night, who was just diagnosed with hypothyroidism. The relief in her voice at having a diagnosis was palpable. She’s started her meds and is on her way to taking big bites out of life again. Here comes the sun!
Nancy
January 18th, 2010 at 9:09 am
@Nancy,
I’m so glad to hear that your friend figured out what was going on. It’s interesting that- when experiencing difficult and unusual mood swings or ongoing fatigue- you truly hesitate to tell anyone. I’m so glad she was able to talk to you and I sure understand her relief! My symptoms worsened after I started my medication- particularly the week before they magically disappeared. From all of the women I’ve talked to about this, the vast majority of them agreed that the three week period from first dose to feeling better is fairly accurate.
I’m off work this week and the winter sun is beaming outside, warming up my kitchen window. These days I’m waking up, wanting to embrace these still and quiet, clear winter mornings- not crawl back into bed. I’m thrilled with the shift in my attitude.
I’ll keep your friend in my thoughts over the next couple of weeks.
January 19th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
I can almost feel the sunshine in your words, and taste the sunshine in your salad! It is rainy, rainy, rainy out here in No. Cal., but I’m not complaining TOO loudly, since we need it. (Okay, so maybe just a little complaining.)
I’ve never made anything with garam masala, but your dressing recipe looks so simple and delicious, I might have to run out after work and pick some up. Glad you are back to your happy self!