Gourmet (August 2009)
Our avocado adventures roll on! As we said with the Avocado Pie we made last week, we wanted a recipe that would really highlight the fresh Florida avocados we got from our reader PJ (and that Avocado Pie, as fun and tasty as it was, nearly obliterated the avocado flavors with lime, sugar and cream).
This Avocado-Strawberry Salad with Orange Vinaigrette, on the other hand, promised to let the avocados stand out. Originally printed in last August's Gourmet, this salad was among the handful of recipes PJ sent along with the avocados, some of her favorite ways to use the fruit.
For a salad with only seven ingredients, there are a lot of flavors going on here! The spicy arugula gets a citrus punch from the orange slices as well as the orange juice and lime juice in the vinaigrette. And the strawberries add a summery sweetness that works really well.
And the avocados -- along with the goat cheese -- add a creamy, buttery texture to the whole salad, really taking it to a new place. Some of the commenters on our Avocado Pie post have suggested that these giant Florida avocados don't pack as much flavor as their Haas cousins in California. That may be true; we're not experts (yet).
But we really loved the subtle taste of the avocados, and the richness and heft they lend to this salad. It's really delicious, and a terrific way to show off these avocados!
Avocado-Strawberry Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Gourmet (August 2009)
2 navel oranges
1 pint strawberries, quartered (2 cups)
2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp fresh lime juice, divided
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups baby arugula (4 oz)
4 oz mild goat cheese, crumbled
Cut peel, including all white pith, from oranges. Working over a bowl, cut segments free from membranes. Reserve any juice in another bowl, squeezing membranes for more juice. Gently toss together orange segments, strawberries, avocados, and 1 tsp lime juice in a bowl.
Whisk together oil, remaining Tbsp lime juice, 3 Tbsp reserved orange juice, and 1/8 tsp each of salt and pepper.
Toss arugula with dressing and divide among 6 plates. Top with avocado-strawberry mixture and sprinkle with cheese.
