What: Grapefruit and Avocado Salad
Where: The Art of Cooking
Who: Alice Waters

Lusciously fresh, tart, and creamy, this salad is simply a pleasure. And a decadence!

As I was eating it, I was suddenly very aware that many people, past and present, in many countries of this world would truly hunger and thirst for a single bite of this kind of salad. I am humbled to think how wealthy our country is to be producing such bounty, how incredibly blessed I am to be living in a spot in the United States where grapefruit, avocado, lettuces, cilantro, and walnuts grow easily almost year-round, and what a gift from God is it to make room in the budget for these things and receive the nutrients and joy they give. And eat it on a china plate. In a beautiful home with every possible comfort. My goodness, it’s humbling how wealthy in food and funds and health we are! With each bite, I thanked the Lord for His kindness and praised Him for His abundant creation.

Waters’ recorded only two main ingredients for this salad: avocado and ruby grapefruit. However, it seemed rather naked to me, perhaps because I was craving more texture and color. So the red leaf lettuce, the walnuts, and the cilantro which you see here are my additions, and they were ideal! I also sprinkled a few currants onto it, in case the grapefruit was exceptionally bitter (but it wasn’t). Sprouts or micro greens would also be an excellent add.

The dressing is simply a teaspoon of wine vinegar (I used apple cider), a pinch of salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil (I ran out and supplemented with avocado oil) and the juice squeezed from the membranes of the grapefruits after you’ve sliced the flesh away. Double the dressing if you choose to add lettuce to the salad. Without lettuce, it will generously serve 2. With lettuce, it will generously feed 4-6 as a starter or side.