Pomegranate Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

By: Todd Porter and Diane Cu

The simplicity of a fresh salad is one of the hallmarks of all our meals. Regardless of what is on the menu, a simple seasonal salad is our favorite way to start the feast. Fresh, crisp lettuce, a bright addition of fruit and tangy vinaigrette is the perfect starter to please the palate. Our Southern California weather is so kind to us, allowing our garden to explode with edibles year round. With fresh pomegranates still clinging to their branches and our first batch of Meyer lemons ripening on the tree, we're rushing to make this salad before they disappear. Fresh lettuce is abundant in the garden too, so, yes, we're spoiled.

We're fortunate to have such a fantastic citrus growing region too, allowing us to relish in many citrus varieties, especially the Meyer lemon. The bright, floral beauty of the Meyer lemon lends perfectly to a vinaigrette. Just a simple squeeze of the yellow fruit and you'll have a terrific perfumed and appetizing dressing for even the simplest of salads.

Pomegranate Salad

The wonderful thing about this salad is that it truly is simple, with three-star ingredients that make it perfectly complete. Lettuce, the tart bite of pomegranate seeds and a bright Meyer lemon vinaigrette and you've stimulated the appetite and can appreciate three stellar flavors combined in one bite.

Pomegranate Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

For the Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette:

• 4 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice (approximately 1 large Meyer lemon)

• 4 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

For the Salad:
• Fresh lettuce, torn
• 1 medium pomegranate, shucked

Directions:

1. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk together well.

2. Toss lettuce, pomegranate seeds and vinaigrette together before serving.

Todd Porter and Diane Cu are professional food and travel photographers who publish the popular food blog White on Rice. Their lives have always been about love, family, friends, sharing, exploring and food.

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