|
Romaine Salad with Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit & Roquefort in Pomegranate-Port Vinaigrette
Serves 8
This somewhat incongruous combination of ingredients yields one of our favorite salads: visually, the deep pink grapefruit, blue-veined cheese, and "jewels" of pomegranate seeds on crisp lettuces are dramatic. The flavors integrate sweet, salty, and tangy, and come with a textural crunch. Serve this salad in December and January, when you desire a light
but complex salad to precede a roast or braised dish.
Ingredients
8 cups romaine hearts, cleaned and torn
pomegranate-port vinaigrette (see recipe below)
salt and black pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups ruby red grapefruit segments (about 2 grapefruit)
3/4 cup Roquefort, crumbled
3/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and skins rubbed off
seeds from one ripe pomegranate (see note)
preparation
Dress the romaine with the pomegranate-port vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Divide between 8 chilled plates. Divide the grapefruit segments between the salads. Sprinkle crumbled Roquefort, then walnuts, and finally pomegranate seeds on top of the salads. Serve immediately.
Note: Fresh pomegranates usually are available from November until January. Look for deep red fruit with firm skins and heavy weight for their size. Cut the fruit in half, pick the seeds from the membrane, and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Ingredients for the pomegranate-port vinaigrette
1/3 cup ruby port
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup pomegranate juice (or cranberry juice)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon shallots, minced
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup safflower or peanut oil
2 tablespoons walnut oil
salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation
-
Combine the port, juices, and garlic in a nonreactive saucepot. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced to
1/3 cup. Put the shallots in a stainless bowl, strain the reduction over them, and cool.
-
Add the egg yolk, reduction, and red wine vinegar to a bowl and whisk to combine. Combine the safflower and walnut oils and drizzle into the yolk mixture, whisking to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper and reserve. Refrigerate if not using immediately.
|
