we’re going to talk about this citrus avocado salad with jalapeño vinaigrette in just a minute but can we talk about an exciting project i’ve been working on for a moment first?
some of you may be familiar with edible communities, a magazine franchise which has local issues in over 90 locations across the us and canada. well, this past fall, maine got its very own magazine, which is exciting since i always loved reading the boston edition, back when we lived there.
even more exciting, at least for me, is that i’m contributing to the spring issue in maine! i have 6 recipes, with photographs and a short narrative to accompany them, in the upcoming issue! in case you couldn’t tell from the exclamation points and overuse of the word “exciting”, i’m thrilled about this opportunity.
i can’t wait to share some of the recipes that i created for the magazine here with you. they are, of course, all focused on the goodies that will be popping up at farmers’ markets this spring. i’m not positive yet when everything will be published but i will definitely keep you updated as i learn more.
ok, let’s talk about this citrus avocado salad with jalapeño vinaigrette. it’s delicious. it has avocados in it, so that much was probably obvious. it also has citrus, which is so good this time of year. i used regular old naval oranges, but this would be so pretty with blood oranges. and delicious with any variety of orange, so use your favorite/whatever is on sale at the store.
the lettuce situation is also flexible. this time around, i used a spring mix, but in the past i’ve used baby arugula and i like it with either green.
the pepitas add a nice little crunch and mint + citrus is always a good idea. the jalapeño vinaigrette takes a moment to put together, since we dry roast the jalapeño on the stove for a few minutes, but it’s totally worth it.
and you could make the dressing a day ahead, if you wanted to streamline prep of this citrus avocado salad with jalapeño vinaigrette to incorporate it into a dinner party menu. which i highly recommend, by the way. this citrus avocado salad is one of those ‘more than the sum of its parts’ magic trick kinds of salads that makes you look like a super impressive salad wizard.
that does *not* mean that you must reserve this salad for company, however. making it through tuesday totally counts as a great reason to enjoy this salad all by your onesies (wizard hat optional). just sayin’…
did you make this recipe? i’d love to know what you think of it! leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the hashtag #tastyseasons.
citrus avocado salad with jalapeño vinaigrette
Save to BigOven 
Ingredients
citrus avocado salad
- 3 cups soft and spicy greens, such as spring mix or baby arugula
- 2 oranges, peeled and sliced into discs
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons pepitas
jalapeño vinaigrette
- juice of 1 orange (1/4 cup / 2 fl. oz. / 59 ml)
- 1 whole jalapeño
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
jalapeño vinaigrette
- in a small saucepan, simmer the juice of 1 orange over low heat until it is syrupy and reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 5 - 8 minutes (keep an eye on it to prevent scorching). set aside to cool.
- heat a small, heavy bottomed skillet dry (no oil) over medium-high heat. put the whole jalapeño in the skillet and roast for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until blistered and charred. set aside to cool.
- in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the reduced orange juice, minced shallot, vinegar, and two olive oils. remove the stem, skins, and seeds from the jalapeño (wear gloves and/or wash hands thoroughly after handling the pepper). set aside half the pepper for another use (breakfast burrito tomorrow?). mince the remaining half pepper and add to the vinaigrette. put the lid on the jar and shake to combine, set aside.
citrus avocado salad
- put the greens in a large mixing bowl, drizzle about 1/3 of the dressing (shake before using) over the greens, and toss to coat. arrange the greens on a serving platter. arrange the orange and avocado slices over the greens. sprinkle with mint leaves and pepitas. drizzle another 1/3 of the vinaigrette (shake before using) over the salad, adding more dressing if desired. serve immediately. the dressing can be made 1 day in advance and stored in the fridge but as you can imagine, a salad with delicate greens and avocado is definitely best when served fresh.
Notes
adapted from avocado and tangerine salad with jalapeño vinaigrette from bon appétit's july 2013 issue.
Nutrition Facts
citrus avocado salad with jalapeño vinaigrette
Serves: 4
| Amount Per Serving: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 264 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 22 g. | 33.8% | |
| Saturated Fat 3 g. | 15% | |
| Trans Fat 0 g. | ||
| Cholesterol 0 mg. | 0 | |
| Sodium 11 mg. | 0.5% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 19 g. | 6.3% | |
| Dietary Fiber 7 g. | 28% | |
| Sugars 9 g. | ||
| Protein 4 g. | ||
| Vitamin A | Vitamin C | |
| Calcium | Iron | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
tasty seasons
This sounds amazing and it is so beautiful with color. As soon as Bill and I get back to Winnemucca I am going to make this! Also so exciting that it will be in that magazine!
i hope you love it, cheri! it’s always nice to have bright, cheery things to eat in the winter. 🙂