Name: Goat Cheese Walnut Salad + Citrus Vinaigrette
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: ? cup walnut halves; 2 oranges; 2 heads Bibb lettuce, cored and torn into bite-sized pieces, cleaned and dried; 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves; 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled; Citrus Vinaigrette (recipe to follow); ? cup fresh citrus juice (orange, blood orange, grapefruit or lemon); 2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons shallots, finely minced; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground; ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

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We’re kicking things off with a fun lesson on using seasonal citrus. Learn how to cut an orange like they do in restaurants, use leftover juices to create a citrus vinaigrette and compose a light and flavorful citrus salad. And the best part? It’s so easy!

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For lunch, dinner or as a healthy side—a great salad is always a good idea. And the best part? You can create a restaurant quality salad in 15 minutes or less (dressing included!) for a light and delicious meal in a snap. Read on for our current go-to salad recipe that’s fresh, flavorful and shockingly easy.

Bibb Lettuce and Tarragon Salad with Oranges, Walnuts and Goat Cheese and Citrus Vinaigrette

In this recipe, crisp lettuce is topped with sweet citrus segments, toasted walnuts, salty goat cheese and a bright citrus vinaigrette to create the perfect flavor profile. For a heartier salad, you can add shredded chicken.

PREP:

15 minutes

COOK:

3 minutes

YIELD:

4 servings

Ingredients

⅓ cup walnut halves
2 oranges
2 heads Bibb lettuce, cored and torn into bite-sized pieces, cleaned and dried
3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Citrus Vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

Directions

In a dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast the walnuts, stirring frequently, until they’re fragrant and begin to deepen in color, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
Cut the top and bottom off of each orange. Stand upright on the cutting board, and with a sharp knife, cut around the outside of the orange to remove the rind and pith. Working over a bowl to catch excess juice, cut in-between each membrane to release individual segments. Set aside.
In a large salad or mixing bowl, toss together the Bibb lettuce and the fresh tarragon leaves. Pour citrus vinaigrette, to taste, over salad and toss to combine. Garnish salad with orange segments, walnuts and crumbled goat cheese. Serve at once.

Citrus Vinaigrette

When citrus is in season, there is nothing better. In this flavorful dressing, you can use any variety or combination you like including oranges, lemons, blood oranges and grapefruit. To make a big batch of dressing to last all week long, simply double or even triple the recipe below.

PREP:

10 minutes

COOK:

None

YIELD:

About 1 cup

Ingredients

⅓ cup fresh citrus juice (orange, blood orange, grapefruit or lemon)
2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons shallots, finely minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

In a glass bowl, combine the citrus juice, vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.