Spring Has Sprung
Well, it’s officially that time of the year when I leave home in the morning wearing a jacket and leave work and sweating bullets in my car! Yes. It is Spring. I can definitely feel the change in temperature here in LA and it feels pretty good! I’m no longer in school so spring and summer break mean nothing to me, but I love the sense of nostalgia that the warm weather brings. It makes me think of being a care-free young adult just trying to make the best memories during her summer. It’s a very “I’m the main character of a summer indie film” type of vibe haha. Anyway, with the warmer weather, one of the best meals you could have is something light and fresh. And that’s exactly what this Citrus Avocado Salad is!
The Power of Simplicity
To be honest, when I was developing this recipe, I knew it would taste good but I didn’t think it would be this good. It’s a pretty simple recipe — we don’t have any crazy ingredients of flavors going on — but I think that’s exactly why it tastes so good. Because this Citrus Avocado Salad is so simple, it really allows each ingredient to shine, while also allowing everything to meld together deliciously.
The variety of citrus fruits brings varying levels of sweetness. The blood orange is the sweetest, the grapefruit is slightly bitter, and the orange lies somewhere in between those two. With this variety, we’re able to get different levels of sweetness so that everything doesn’t blend into one note. The avocado adds creaminess and helps to mellow out the sweetness of the fruit and the acidity and tang of the vinaigrette. It also adds a great contrast in color when put together with the red citrus! But with all these fresh and healthy ingredients, we need some sort of treat! This is where the fried goat cheese balls come in! These fried goat cheese balls add crunch, creaminess, tang, and of course, the perfect bite of indulgence!
Feel Refreshed
Like I mentioned before, this Citrus Avocado Salad really blew me away with how delicious it was. It’s the perfect spring and summer salad to make when you feel like having something light and refreshing. It’s also a great recipe if you’re looking to make a salad that isn’t necessarily a traditional salad! It leaves you feeling healthy, balanced, and satiated. I don’t know what else you could for in a salad! Definitely give this recipe a try and let me know if its simplicity blows your socks of too! Thanks for joining me today and I’ll talk to you in my next post!
Citrus Avocado Salad with Fried Goat Cheese Balls
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Honey
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- Pinch of Pepper
For the Salad
- 1 Ruby Red Grapefruit (skin peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices)
- 1 Orange (skin peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices)
- 1 Blood Orange (skin peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices)
- 4 oz Goat Cheese
- 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Large Egg (beaten)
- Vegetable Oil (for frying)
- 1 Avocado (peeled, halved and cut into 1/4 inch slices)
- 1/2 Small Watermelon Radish (sliced 1/16 inch thin)
- As Needed Dill Fronds (for garnish)
Instructions
For the Vinaigrette
- Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl until well emulsified. Set it aside for later.
For the Salad
- To remove the skin from the citrus, position the fruit on a cutting board so that the ends are on the left and right sides. Slice off half an inch from each end. Stand the citrus onto one of the flat ends. Place the knife on the line right where the citrus flesh meets the pith. Cut down along the curved line until you reach the bottom. Remove the skin and continue to go around the citrus to remove all the skin. When all the skin has been removed, position the citrus so that the flat ends are on the left and right sides. Cut 1/4 inch thick slices from the citrus. Repeat this process for the remaining citrus. Set the sliced citrus aside for later.
- Portion the goat cheese into 8 evenly-sized pieces. Form each piece into a disc shape that is about 3/4 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch high.
- Place the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs into their own separate dishes. Add the salt and pepper to the flour and mix until the seasonings are evenly distributed. Dredge each disc of goat cheese in the flour until it is fully coated. Dust off any excess flour. Then dip the goat cheese into the egg until all of the flour has been absorbed. Remove the goat cheese from the egg, allowing any excess liquid to drip off. Then add the goat cheese to the breadcrumbs and toss until it is fully coated. Repeat this process with the remaining goat cheese discs.
- Pour enough oil into a small pot or pan until it reaches 1/4 inch high. Heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the goat cheese to the oil and fry on each side for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until golden brown on both sides. Remove the goat cheese from the oil and allow them to drain on paper towels.
- To assemble the salad, arrange the citrus and avocado slices onto the serving plate. Then distribute the sliced watermelon radish and fried goat cheese on top. Garnish with dill fronds and drizzle a bit of the vinaigrette on top. Enjoy!
