new year’s eve citrus, avocado, and little radish salad

SERVES 6 TO 8 AS A STARTER (THIS PAIRS WELL WITH ALMOST ANYTHING.) I have found it hard to make holiday traditions that stick, but this is a salad that has stuck with me. It will always remind me of my first winter in California, the ceaseless joy I get from bringing home a bounty of citrus from the farmers’ market, and the Paul McCartney song “Monkberry Moon Delight.” New Year’s can be a loaded holiday, but this is the food embodiment of the “in with the new” sentiment. And it’s pretty.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

PREP: First things first, take a look at the Styling Tip, opposite, on how to supreme citrus. If you’ll be supreming ahead of time, store the segments in their own juice. If you’re using a mix, I usually keep my blood oranges separate so they don’t stain the other more lightly colored fruits.

Step 2

Prepare an ice bath. If you’re using small radishes, thinly slice 1 bunch on a mandoline—leaving any tiny good-looking tender greens attached if you can—and add them to the ice bath as you go. (You shouldn’t need to do this with the baby radishes, but it does help perk up any limp greens.) Soak radishes for about 10 minutes to crisp up. Pat dry on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Step 3

Halve, pit, peel, and slice 3 avocados.

Step 4

ASSEMBLE AND SERVE: Layer the avocados and citrus, then sprinkle the radishes on top of everything. Drizzle a little of the reserved citrus juice over everything—just a little, you don’t want a puddle. The acidic juices will help to keep the avocados from oxidizing. Drizzle with a bit of your best olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt.

Step 5

STYLING TIP Use a sharp knife to slice the ends off the fruit, exposing the flesh. Stand the fruit on a flat end. With the knife, working your way from the top to the bottom, remove the rind and pith but as little of the flesh as possible.

Step 6

Hold the fruit in your hand. With a paring knife, carefully slice on both sides of the segment between the membranes to free the supreme.

Step 7

Let the supremes drop into a bowl and, if storing, squeeze the remaining juice over the bowl. You can keep the supremes covered with plastic wrap or in a sealed container in the fridge for a day, but I don’t recommend more than that as they will start to get a bit bitter.