Blueberry Grapefruit Gastrique Green Salad

There’s no time like the new year for a new approach to salads. Publix Aprons Boca Raton Cooking School came up with this doozy of a combo that you are seriously bound to adore. Snag some ruby red grapefruit, poke around in your spice cabinet for some star anise and mustard seeds, run out and invest in some dried blueberries. The ones at Costco are vundebar!

What the hell is a gastrique? you ask. In short, it’s a reduction of vinegar and sugar that can be infused with whatever grabs your fancy.

Blueberry Grapefruit Gastrique Green Salad

• 2 c fresh grapefruit juice
• 5 – 6 whole star anise
• 1/2 T mustard seed
• 1/2 c maple syrup
• 8 – 10 oz mixed baby greens
• 2 grapefruits, peeled, segmented (supremed)
• 1/2 c dried blueberries
• 1/2 c sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/2 c goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 c hearts of palm, sliced on an angle
• 1/4 c good quality olive oil
• a pinch of fine sea salt

Grapefruit Gastrique: In a small saucepan, combine grapefruit juice, anise, mustard seed and maple syrup. Cook on high for 8 – 9 minutes, or until thickened to a syrup. Strain and set aside.

Note: Prepare the Grapefruit Gastrique in advance and serve it at room temperature. You can also store it in the fridge.

In a large bowl, combine greens with remaining ingredients, reserving a small amount of each to garnish each plated salad. Add half the gastrique to the greens and drizzle on olive oil. Sample to see if you need more gastrique. Plate salads and garnish with remaining blueberries, almonds, goat cheese and hearts of palm, adding more according to your taste. Serves 6 – 8. Leftover gastrique can be used to flavour more greens the next day.

Blueberry Grapefruit Gastrique Green Salad Print Ready Recipe

Final notes:

• Once a fan, always a fan. I’ve signed up for two upcoming Publix Aprons Boca Raton Cooking School classes and am looking forward to sharing some more of their winning recipes with friends, family and cyber jittery companions.
• Here’s a real food critic’s list of best dishes of 2016.
• Hope your NYE kickoff leaves you celebrating throughout 2017. Liven up your gatherings with this spectacular cocktail — an Aperol Spritz.
• I serve Aperol Spritz with supremed or sliced grapefruit instead of orange. Watch this to find out how to supreme a grapefruit.