The citrus solution
The cook's year can be divided in two: tomato and not-tomato. But sometimes, even the best-intentioned, most locavore-crazy among us so crave a sweet, tart bite in our salads that we break down and grab one of those cottony out-of-season tennis balls. You've done it too. Don't try to deny it.
In some cases, though, there's an easy alternative. Because happily for us, beneficent nature has ensured that the not-tomato months pair up perfectly with the drowning-in-citrus ones. And in a lot of dishes, a little bit of citrus will give you just what you were hankering for — certainly a lot better than an out-of-season tomato.
This is not a universal solution by any means. I'm trying to picture laying a slice of grapefruit on top of my hamburger. But it does work out often enough that it's worth exploring.
The first time I tried it was more or less by accident. It was dinner time, and I had some lettuce and some cheese. And not much else. But wait, my neighbors Don and Carol had dropped off a sack of tangerines from their tree — perfectly balanced between tart and sweet. What if I put some of those in the salad along with some hazelnuts?
Then my wife suggested trying the same salad with some fresh goat cheese. Amazing.
Total time: 30 minutesServings: 41/3 cup hazelnuts2 tablespoons tarragon vinegarSalt2 teaspoons minced shallots3 tablespoons hazelnut oil3 tablespoons vegetable oil½ pound tangerines, peeled, broken into segments and stripped of any pithy strings1 head butter lettuce, cored and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 4 cups)3 ounces crumbled goat cheeseToast the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a 400-degree oven until they smell toasty, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let stand 10 minutes, then wrap the hazelnuts in the towel and rub to remove as much of the papery skin as possible. Chop coarsely; you should have about one-fourth cupMeanwhile, combine the vinegar, one-half teaspoon salt and shallots in a small bowl and let stand 10 minutes to let the shallots soften. Whisk in the hazelnut and vegetable oil.Combine the hazelnuts and butter lettuce in a large bowl. Pour over just enough of the dressing to moisten lightly, tossing gently. Season to taste with more salt if necessary. Arrange the lettuce on a platter in a low mound.Add the tangerines to the same work bowl and toss to coat lightly with any vinaigrette remaining in the bowl. Scatter the tangerines over the top of the lettuce. Scatter the crumbled goat cheese over the top and serve immediately.Each serving: 265 calories; 7 grams protein; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 23 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 16 mg cholesterol; 257 mg sodium; 5 grams sugar.
Total time: 20 minutesServings: 42 pink grapefruit1 head fennel¼ red onionSalt¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes¼ cup olive oil1 cup torn arugula4 ounces lump Dungeness crab meatPeel the grapefruit and cut it into sections: Using a very sharp knife, cut off the top and the bottom of the grapefruit, so it will sit flat on the cutting board. Starting where you see the pink grapefruit separate from the white pith, cut away one section of peel and pith, following the line of the fruit. This will expose the underlying fruit. Continue cutting away sections of the peel and pith until only fruit remains. When you’re done, go back over the fruit, removing any traces of pith.Working over a small bowl to catch the juice, slice the fruit into sections — make a cut between the fruit and membrane, then do the same on the other side, freeing pure fruit. Repeat until you have removed all the fruit from the membrane. Squeeze any juice from the remaining membrane into the bowl. You will need about 2 tablespoonsQuarter the fennel lengthwise and remove the triangular core at the center. Use a mandolin or a very sharp knife to slice the fennel as thin as possible, about one-eighth inch; you’ll have about 3 cups, lightly packed. Do the same with the red onion; you’ll have about one-half cup. Combine the fennel and red onion in a large bowl.Add one-half teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes to the reserved grapefruit juice and whisk in the olive oil.Toss the fennel with just enough of the dressing to lightly moisten it. Arrange the fennel on a platter in a low mound.Add the arugula to the same bowl and toss to moisten it; you may need to add another teaspoon of vinaigrette. Arrange the arugula on top of the fennel.Add the grapefruit and crabmeat to the same bowl and toss very gently to avoid breaking up the citrus or the crab. You want it barely moistened; if you need, add another teaspoon of vinaigrette. Arrange this on top of the arugula and serve immediately.Each serving: 224 calories; 8 grams protein; 18 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 14 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 21 mg cholesterol; 284 mg sodium; 8 grams sugar.
