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Gabe and I first had this salad at The Inn at Little Washington, back before we had children and such things were in the realm of possibility. The tartness of the grapefruit is the perfect counterpoint to the creaminess of the avocado.
If you can't find raw pistachios, it's fine to use the roasted and salted ones. Just skip the toasting step.
Serves 4 as a side dish
20 minutes preparation time
3 tablespoons raw pistachios
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ruby red grapefruit
1 perfectly ripe avocado
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
sprinkle of salt
Toast the pistachios in a skillet over medium heat until they are fragrant and just begin to deepen in color, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let them cool for a couple of minutes.
Measure 2 tablespoons of the pistachios into a mortar and pestle and crush them until they are small but not completely pulverized. Pour them into a small bowl, add the olive oil, and whisk. Set aside.
With a serrated knife, first cut the top and bottom off of the grapefruit. The idea is to cut as much of the pith off as possible without removing too much of the flesh. Continue to remove the remaining peel by cutting from top to bottom around the entire grapefruit. Next, remove each section of flesh by cutting along each side of the membranes that separate the sections. Remove the sections and arrange them on a platter, leaving a space in between each piece.
Cut the avocado in half and separate the two halves. Remove the peel. with your hands Slice the avocado the long way into slices (I leave the seed in while I do this) and arrange the slices between the grapefruit sections.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the grapefruit and avocado and then sprinkle the toasted pistachios on top.
Add the vinegar to the olive oil-pistachio mixture along with a pinch of salt and whisk until it emulsifies. Spoon the dressing over the salad. Serve and eat!