sweetgrass + grits

View Original

Fennel, Grapefruit and Arugula Salad

This refreshing salad from Eric Kleinberg/ The Spruce Eats combines the delicate licorice-y flavor and crunch of fennel with peppery arugula. The author likes to add a helping of roasted beets to turn the salad into a heftier dish.

4 cups fresh arugula

1 small bulb fennel, or 1/2 of a large bulb of fennel

1 medium grapefruit, ruby red or pink, cut into segments and juice retained

1 small avocado, ripe

1 scallion, dark green part only

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 dash fine sea salt, or to taste

1 dash freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Cut the stalks off of the top of the fennel bulb (retain some of the feathery fronds for garnishing the salad), slice off the tough root end of the bulb, cut the bulb in half lengthwise, and slice into thin strips.

Cut the grapefruit into segments without any peel, membrane, or white pith attached. These are called suprèmes. Be sure to retain any juice released during cutting and to squeeze the leftover core to get the juice out of that as well. You will need it for dressing the salad.

Peel the avocado and slice it lengthwise into thin segments.

Slice the the dark green part of the scallion into thin pieces (about 1/4 of an inch thick).

Thoroughly whisk the retained grapefruit juice together with the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the arugula and chopped scallion lightly in the dressing, then divide it evenly between 4 servings bowls or plates.

Arrange fennel and avocado slices and grapefruit segments on top or around each serving of arugula.

Garnish with finely chopped fennel fronds (from the stalks)