Citrus Salad with Pom Vinaigrette and a Pom Cosmo~

This salad was the highlight of one of our gourmet group dinners early last winter.  I hadn't had the inspiration to recreate it at home until now...pomegranate season has begun again! This is a delicious winter season salad with fresh citrus.

The generous people at Pom Wonderful offered me a case of Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice recently. I eagerly accepted. I have loved pomegranates since I was a child when my mother would bring one home as an special treat.  Pomegranates are far from being local produce in the Midwest but they are being offered in our local grocery stores very reasonably this week.

There is something so exotic about cutting into a pomegranate and finding those plump, ruby arils.The original salad dressing from our gourmet group dinner called for lemon juice in the vinaigrette. I substituted pomegranate juice.  Pom Wonderful has a very similar vinaigrette recipe on their website.

This salad would make a delicious holiday salad recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any fall or winter gathering! The savory combination of rosemary with the tang of the jalepeno pepper is wonderful with the sweet-tart flavor of the citrus and avocado and crunch of the toasted nuts and pomegranate seeds.

There is something so delicious about the combination of ingredients that makes this salad and dressing memorable! Please don't alter anything, including the jalapeno pepper.  If you don't like them, just add less but they are intrinsic to the recipe, in my opinion. I didn't have pine nuts, which the original recipe called for, so I substituted toasted, slivered almonds today.

Before dinner began tonight, I started with a cocktail. It is Saturday night, after all! I'm not normally a cocktail person but I do like a good Cosmopolitan or Scotch cocktail on occasion, wine being my preferred beverage with dinner. I tried the Pom Cosmo recipe on the Pom Wonderful website.  At first taste, I knew it was too bitter for me so I made some simple syrup which sweetened it perfectly. Simple syrup is so easy to make. You will find the recipe below.

Citrus Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Printable Recipe

6-8 servings

1/2 cup pomegranate juice (original recipe called for 2 T fresh lemon juice)
1 teaspoon  Dijon mustard
7 tablespoons olive oil
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
2 teaspoons chopped, fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 navel oranges
2 pink grapefruit
1 medium head red leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn into bite-sized pieces
3 avocados
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (I substituted toasted, slivered almonds)
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
1 small red onion, peeled, thinly sliced and rings separated.

In a small bowl, combine pomegranate juice (or lemon juice) and mustard. Whisk in olive oil, minced jalapeño, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let stand at room temp for at least 30 minutes. Peel and remove pith from oranges and grapefruit. Slice oranges in half and then into rounds. Cut grapefruit in half lengthwise and slice crosswise into half rounds. Slice avocado in half and remove pit. Scoop flesh from rind with a large spoon and slice.

In a salad bowl, combine greens and add a small amount of dressing and toss. Divide greens among serving plates. Arrange oranges, grapefruit and avocado on each serving. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and pine nuts (or almonds) on each plate. Top with red onion slices, drizzle with additional dressing and serve.

Pom Cosmopolitan
Printable Recipe

1 oz POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
1 oz good quality vodka
1/2 oz. Cointreau or Triple Sec
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 oz simple syrup (Made by boiling equal parts sugar and water for 3 minutes and allow to cool. I use 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Refrigerate after cooling.
Twist of lime for garnish

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into glass. Garnish with lime twist.