We love this easy-yet-delicious salad recipe from Abbey Sharp over at AbbeysKitchen.com (check out our Q&A with her here, and find two other recipes here.)
Boston Lettuce & Microgreen Salad with Grapefruit, Avocado and Quinoa Praline
Boston Lettuce & Microgreen Salad with Grapefruit, Avocado and Quinoa Praline
Quinoa Praline:
1 cup sugar fine sugar
¼ cup water
½ cup quinoa (I like a combo of red and white)
Generous pinch of fleur de sel
Put the sugar and water in a small sauce pan fitted with a candy thermometer.
Bring the water and the sugar to a boil over medium high heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. You can very delicately swirl the pan and brush down the sides with water if any bits of sugar start creeping up the sides but do not stir the mixture! Continue to cook until the sugar turns golden brown and reaches 315 F, about 6-8 minutes. Watch that thermometer. I find that it’s very slow to move around 200-230 F, but after that it goes super fast.
Remove from heat, then stir in the quinoa and stir with a wooden spoon. Spread very thinly onto a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Sprinkle generously with fleur de sel and allow to cool on the counter. Once cool enough to handle, break into small shards and store in an air tight container until ready to serve.
Vinaigrette:
Juice of 1 grapefruit
Juice of 1 Cara Cara orange
1 small shallot, finely minced
2 tbsp honey
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mix together the juice, shallot, honey and oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Salad:
4 heads of Boston lettuce, washed, dried, with core and outside leaves discarded
4 large red grapefruit, segmented
1 large avocado, sliced thinly and into a few segments each
1 cup microgreens (any sprout or microgreen will work)
Separate the lettuce leaves and arrange them on a large platter. Nestle in the grapefruit, avocado and migrogreens.
Top with quinoa brittle and serve with citrus vinaigrette.
Serves 10-12.