Avocados’ rich, nutty taste and creamy texture pairs beautifully with the sweet-sour perkiness of oranges. The fruit duo is especially appealing in a simple salad. Tender lettuce and  fresh lemon juice, as well as good olive oil and crunchy Marcona almonds, team up to bring out the best.

This salad is scrumptious served with grilled meat or poultry. For a vegetarian meal, serve it with grilled vegetables or a meat-free pasta dish.

Orange and Avocado Salad

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 small head red leaf lettuce or butter lettuce

3 Navel oranges, peeled, sliced, collecting any juice in the process

2 ripe (but not squishy) avocadoes, pitted, peeled, sliced

1/8 medium red onion, thinly sliced top to bottom

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Garnish: Marcona almonds

Optional garnish: Pitted green olives

Cook’s notes: To take the sting out of red onion slices, place them in ice water to cover and allow to chill for 15 to 20 minutes; drain and pat dry.

DIRECTIONS

1. Arrange lettuce on small platter. Top with orange slices, avocado slices and red onion slices. In a small bowl, mix any collected orange juice, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk in olive oil. Drizzle over salad.

2. Garnish with nuts and if you wish, a few pitted green olives. Serve.

Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com.

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