Lasting Impressions (and a potluck)

While she barely stood five feet tall, she was a force to be reckoned with.   Full of understated glamour, with her silver hair swept neatly back in a low, tight bun, she lit up the room with her infectious laugh and kind eyes.  She loved her morning grapefruit, fresh from the old tree in her backyard, almost as much as her evening cocktail, sipped slowly and with intent.

As a child, my family would migrate from Boston to Florida for a week each winter to thaw out, take over Disneyworld and visit my great grandmother.  As an impressionable seven-year-old, my favorite part of each trip was those rare moments alone with her.  She always made me feel as if I was her equal, and taught me more about myself in those cherished hours than most people could in a lifetime.

She taught me to stand up for myself and that, no matter how difficult life became, I was strong enough to brave anything.  Never taking life too seriously, she told me to laugh as often as I could, make time for friends and family, be independent, and to believe how smart I truly am.

Among all of indispensable, real world advice, she taught me to love grapefruit.  How it can morph into a luscious treat when prepared just so and should be savored, like your very first stolen kiss.

This recipe was lovingly created in her honor and is also a contribution to the upcoming gojee potluck. Starting on Thursday, January 26, check out other potluck dishes fellow gojee contributors shared. Go to gojee.com and enter “gojee potluck” into I Crave.  You can also follow #gojeepotluck on Twitter.

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Oro Blanco, Pomegranate + Fromage Blanc Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette

 Ingredients

• 4-5 large Oro Blanco grapefruit, peeled and thinly sliced, plus ¼ cup juice for vinaigrette
• 1 garlic clove, finely crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• ½ teaspoon honey
• 1 ½ tablespoons champagne vinegar
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt + freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• ½ cup fromage blanc (feta, ricotta or goat cheese can also be used)
• 1-2 cups pea shoots or microgreens (arugula will also work well)
• Fresh mint leaves, to garnish

Method

In a medium glass bowl, add the reserved ¼ cup grapefruit juice, garlic, tarragon, honey, champagne vinegar and mustard.  Mix to combine well.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

On a large plate, arrange the grapefruit slices, pomegranate seeds and fromage blanc.  Toss the greens in a small amount of vinaigrette until well-coated and scatter over the fruit and cheese.  Drizzle desired amount of vinaigrette over the entire salad, finish with freshly torn mint leaves and cracked black pepper + enjoy!

Any leftover vinaigrette can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. 

{serves 4}