Citrus & Avocado Wedge Salad with Pepita-Curry Vinaigrette
This is a wonderful mid-winter salad when most citrus fruit is at its peak and your table and menu need a bit brightening. Both the color and flavor are delightfully perky. The warm, toasted pepitas add a bit of nuttiness and creaminess to the vinaigrette that’s “just right”—not too heavy, but full-bodied enough to sink into the crevices of the lettuce and coat each piece of citrus and avocado. With a light sprinkling of Gorgonzola or mild blue cheese, each bite is perfection!
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 c. (heaping) unsalted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
- 1/2 tsp. plus a pinch kosher salt, divided
- pinch smoked paprika
- 1 medium garlic clove, halved or quartered
- 1/2 c. buttermilk, well-shaken
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp. pure honey
- 2 tsp. mild Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. mild yellow curry powder
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1 full head butter leaf lettuce, washed and quartered (see TIP A below)
- 2 small ruby red grapefruits, blood oranges, or navel oranges, segmented (see TIP B below)
- 1 medium ripe avocado, cubed
- 2 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola or other mild-to-moderate blue cheese
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Warm the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Then add the pepitas and stir continuously until the pepitas become lightly toasted and fragrant (about 2-3 minutes). Once done, immediately pull the skillet from the heat and transfer roughly two-thirds of the pepitas to the bowl of blender. Put the remaining pepitas in a small dish and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and a pinch of smoked paprika. Set the dish of seasoned pepitas aside.
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Add the halved or quartered garlic clove to the blender with the toasted pepitas and blend these ingredients until mostly smooth. Then add the buttermilk, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, curry powder, black pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Whir until fully combined and the dressing appears light and frothy.
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When ready to serve, arrange each butter leaf wedge on a salad plate (4 total) with a portion of the citrus segments and avocado cubes. Drizzle each salad composition with the prepared Pepita-Curry Vinaigrette. Then top with the Gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles and smoked paprika-seasoned pepitas. If desired, you may also arrange the wedges across a large platter or compose the salad with torn butter leaf.
TIP A: The original idea for this salad was to mimic the classic iceberg wedge salad by cutting the butter leaf head into quarters. To do so, thoroughly rinse the lettuce head by running it under cold water as you gently pull the leaves away (still keeping them attached at the base). Then give the head a good shake and let it drain upside down on a clean towel, perhaps propped-up between a couple glasses. A few minutes before serving, cut the head into quarters and blot the sides of each wedge dry on the towel.
TIP B: In order to segment citrus, start by cutting off both ends of the fruit. Then cut around the fruit to remove the peel and pith. Finally, hold the fruit in the palm of your hand and cut along both sides of each piece of membrane to release the segments into a bowl.