Citrus, Fennel, and Avocado Salad

This refreshing salad is a new way to enjoy your citrus fruit – sweet and savory, with a hit of creaminess. 

I’m so excited to serve this salad! Not only is it beautiful, but it’s easy to put together and super delicious. My friend stopped by just after I had made it and said, “Refreshing!” I agree. 

Citrus, Fennel, and Avocado Salad uses the last of the season’s citrus – a big grapefruit and a juicy orange – in concert with creamy avocado and crunchy fennel and walnuts. It’s light but substantial, rich even, because of the avocado and walnuts. And the sweet-savory dressing – shallots, apple cider vinegar, honey – brings it all together. The dressing recipe works well with white balsamic mixed with the citrus juice from the grapefruit and orange, but if you really want to take it next-level, use some Texas Hill Country Olive Co. Mandarin Balsamic. So yum. 

Citrus, Fennel, and Avocado Salad is a cool, no-cook, refreshing salad to take us right into April. No fooling!
 

Citrus, Fennel, and Avocado Salad

For the salad:
1 grapefruit, supremed*
1 orange, supremed* (sumo citrus is super juicy and works great here)
½ avocado, chopped
½ bulb fennel
1 head butter lettuce
¼ cup chopped, toasted walnuts

For the dressing:
½ small shallot, minced
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar (Optional: Replace with Texas Hill Country Olive Co.’s Mandarin Balsamic)
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

*To supreme citrus, trim the ends off the fruit. Stand it up on one end, then cut the peel and pith off in segments, cutting in a curve close to the contour of the fruit. Cut the segments out by slicing between them and the membranes to release the fruit. Place the segments in a bowl and squeeze the membranes over to collect the juice.

Place the grapefruit and orange segments and the avocado in a small bowl. Toss gently with your hands, just to coat the avocado in the citrus juice.

Cut the fronds (green stalks) off the fennel bulb, and save them for a garnish. Cut the fennel bulb in half and set one half aside for another use. Cut the core out of the fennel and chop. Add the chopped fennel to the bowl of fruit and avocado.

To make the dressing, put the shallots in a small bowl, and pour the apple cider vinegar over. Let this sit for about 10 minutes to mellow the shallots. Then, whisk in the balsamic vinegar, honey, and olive oil. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Pour the dressing over the fruit, avocado, and fennel, and toss gently with your hands. 

Arrange lettuce leaves on two plates. Spoon the dressed citrus-avocado mixture on top. Season with a little more kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and a few chopped fennel fronds (just the feathery parts, not the stalks).