Mixed Citrus Salad

Instructions

1. Place the sections in a small, shallow bowl, and move them around so they look arranged and not just dumped in the bowl.
2. Serve with any of the following dressings drizzled on top.

Variations: Add other fruits, such as clementines, sliced strawberries, seedless grapes cut in half, sliced peaches, or diced apple if a crunch is desired. Other classic additions include mint leaves, watercress, dill, slivered nuts, cubed dates and shaved coconut.

Thoughts for Dressings (recipes follow)

Dressings for citrus salads should contain fats for their mouth feel, flavor, texture, contrast and familiarity. They set out nice contrasts with the crisp flavors of the citrus. A Mediterranean approach, for example, uses olive oil as its fat, for either sweet or salty dressings. The basic recipe combines ½ cup olive oil with ¼ cup lemon juice, with variations from there:

• Use other plant-based oils instead of olive oil. Walnut oil, for example, adds a terrific nutty flavor to the citrus, and other oils do too, such as avocado and macadamia nut oil. The trick is to figure out whether the citrus is sweet or tart, and then to use oil that contrasts with it.
• Replace the lemon juice with ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ½ teaspoon sea salt.
• Add 2 tablespoons sherry, brandy, ouzo, or a sweet liqueur (orange or cherry, for example); ½ teaspoon sea salt, and¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
• Add two pinches of dry powdered mustard. It adds a nice bite, which contrasts well with the sweetness.
• Add 1 tablespoon of finely grated zest from an orange or lemon.