Butter Lettuce-Citrus Salad

*Stolen from the SF Chronicle's Food & Wine Newsletter - this sounds like a deliciously fancy salad that I must remember to make later.

Butter Lettuce-Citrus Salad

Thursday, January 10, 2008

This recipe is from local cooking teacher Linda Carucci.

INGREDIENTS:
2 large, firm heads butter lettuce
1/2 small red onion, cut lengthwise into thin crescents
2 large Hass avocados
Salt and pepper to taste
4 large ruby grapefruit, cut between membranes to release segments
1 1/2 cups glazed walnut halves, broken up (see recipe)
Dressing:
Finely chopped zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup canola or light-flavored olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS: Discard tough outer leaves from lettuces. Quarter lettuces lengthwise, remove tough cores, and cut each quarter into thirds; wash and spin dry.

Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk well to combine.

Toss together lettuce and onion in a large bowl. Vigorously whisk dressing again, pour over the salad and toss.

Pit, peel and dice avocados; toss into salad. Taste a piece of lettuce and add salt and/or pepper if desired.

Divide salad among serving plates. Divide grapefruit sections evenly, tucking them into folds of lettuce. Garnish with glazed walnuts.

Serves 6 to 8

PER SERVING: 335 calories, 5 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 27 g fat (3 g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 143 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.

Glazed Walnuts
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup superfine sugar
2 quarts water
2 cups walnut halves
2 cups canola oil, or as needed

INSTRUCTIONS: Put sugar in a large mixing bowl. Put a large sieve in the sink; set another one over a bowl near stove; cover a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels.

Bring water to a rolling boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Add nuts, blanch for 1 minute. Pour into sieve in sink; rinse with hot water. Drain well. Transfer to bowl with sugar; mix with a rubber spatula to melt sugar and coat nuts evenly.

Heat oil to 350 degrees in a heavy skillet. Using a large slotted spoon, put half the nuts in the oil. Fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off heat and transfer nuts to the dry sieve. Shake to separate pieces. Transfer to the baking sheet, moving them about with a spatula to keep them from sticking to pan or each other. Reheat oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining nuts. Let cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep well for up to 4 days.

Yields 2 cups

PER 1/4 CUP: 195 calories, 4 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 17 g fat (2 g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 3 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.