Are you thinking about salads yet? By the time this gets posted it will be very nearly the New Year, and despite the fact that absolutely no salad ingredients can be described as "seasonal" in most of the country this is the time that people think about salads. It's because we want to eat healthier as part of our New Year's Resolutions. Whatever. I don't really mind. I quite like salad, actually. I always have. I sometimes get away from salad, largely from lack of time to make it or lack of space for the ingredients or lack of... well, just lack. I'm already making the effort though, even before the New Year. I'm trying to get with the program and eat healthy while I'm thinking of it, while my mind is receptive to new habits.
This is a salad that I served with a savory pie I made for a casual dinner one recent night. I figured that since the pie was borderline-unhealthy - heavy cream, eggs, goat cheese, pastry - I should try to balance it with something borderline healthy. This treat has cheese, but not scads of cheese. It has slivers of cheese, just enough to add a little flavor and offset any bite caused by the grapefruit. The dressing, such as it was, is the kind of dressing my mother used to make. She'd just sprinkle the seasonings directly onto the vegetables, pour on the oil and vinegar and toss. It's super-simple and made a great counterpoint to the pie.
Salad with Smoked Gruyere and Grapefruit (serves 4; approx. $1.73/serving)
1 bag baby arugula
1 grapefruit, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 ounces smoked gruyere cheese
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Equipment:
- Vegetable peeler
- Use the vegetable peeler to shave off very thin slices of cheese. Trust me.
- Combine the arugula, grapefruit pieces and cheese in the serving bowl.
- Sprinkle the dried herbs over the salad.
- Drizzle the oil and vinegar over the mixture.
- Toss to combine.
- Serve.
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