It’s citrus season.
I’m back from my annual new year’s desert retreat, full of sunshine, citrus, palm trees, and the looming inanity of the government shut down. For the first time, we did not visit Joshua Tree National Park—too dangerous without any of the supporting infrastructure in place. No bathrooms. No rangers. A more adventurous friend decided to drive through, and got their car stuck on one of the sand-swept roads that course through the park like lifelines to the surrounding expanse of nothing. For the first time, too, my father joined our annual Palm Springs crew. Much hiking, music-making, and hot-tub opining ensued.
We watched the sky. I taught a toddler (wearing goggles) to whip cream. I learned to play Settlers of Catan (and I won my first round—perhaps I should never play again!). I thought about all the work of 2019: A book due, a new iteration of this space, decisions to be made about my body (to cryoovopreserve, or not), my home, my thirty-fifth year around the sun.
I thought, too, about this salad.
Here it is: My annual citrus season salad contribution—the Mecca of citrus glory in vegetal form, a way to eat up all that sweet-tart magic that doesn’t involve shoving it hand to mouth. Though you may find yourself doing that with this easy winter vegetable and fruit wonder—it’s just that delectable. Layers of tender, bitter radicchio leaves, shaved golden beets that get quick pickled in what then becomes the base for the dressing, and every kind of sweet citrus I could get my hands on: tangelos, tangerines, cara cara oranges, blood oranges, you name it, I citrus it.
The salad itself couldn’t be simpler, but it presents in full citrus regalia, a winter salad jewel for the dining table’s crown.
It comes to you with a photo essay and photographic study of this winter produce: deep purples, vibrant corals, gentle yet pungent greens, vibrant yellows, triumphant rubies. These colors awaken. I like to imagine what they do inside of me.
Happy citrus salading.
Thank you for being here for this new year.
RADICCHIO, BEET & CITRUS SALAD WITH GOLDEN BEET VINAIGRETTE.
Ingredients
VINAIGRETTE
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon honey, or other sweetener
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
SALAD
- 1 small-medium golden beet, shaved or sliced very thin about 1 cup
- 1 medium-large cara cara orange, peeled and sliced into 1/4" rounds, seeds removed
- 1 small-medium blood orange, peeled and sliced into 1/4" rounds, seeds removed
- 1 medium tangelo or 2 tangerines, peeled and sliced into 1/4" rounds, seeds removed
- 1 medium head of radicchio (or if using differently colored radicchio, 1/2 head each), bottom trimmed and leaves separated
- olive oil
- 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
- flaky sea salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients until combined.
- Add the shaved beets into the bowl, and toss to coat thoroughly. Let the beets marinate (at least 10-15 minutes) while you prepare the rest of the salad. I like to do this first, then handle slicing all the citrus.
- On a large serving plate, arrange the citrus slices interspersed with the radicchio leaves—tear the leaves in half if they're too big.
- Once the beets have marinated at least 10-15 minutes, pour the liquid off into a small jar—this is now our dressing.
- Layer the beets into the salad, and drizzle the dressing over everything. Add a drizzle of olive oil.
- To finish, sprinkle with toasted sunflower seeds, flaky sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper.
- Serve immediately—though the salad also keeps very well and is delicious the next day. Just keep in an airtight container in the fridge.
