Recipe: Grapefruit and Spinach Salad

Grapefruit and Spinach Salad
U.S. GRAPEFRUIT RULES!
From The American Institute for Cancer Research
By Dana Jacobi

The U.S. grows most of the world's grapefruit, and certainly dominates global markets with this export. Florida grows 80 percent, and another 10 percent comes from Texas, the President's home state. The rest is produced in California, Arizona, South Africa and a few other countries.

Texans can also take pride in the fact that virtually all the luscious red grapefruit many people prize, namely Rio Reds and Star Rubys, are grown only in Texas. (Red grapefruit, by the way, get their color from lycopene, a potent antioxidant, which is not found in regular grapefruit. Roseate grapefruits also contain beta carotene.)

Grapefruit are best between December and the end of March. After that, their flavor, and some of the color in the pink and red fruit, tend to fade. When buying fresh grapefruit, pick those that feel heavy for their size and have thin, smooth skin. Remember that not all pink grapefruit blush outwardly, so if you prefer white, as I do, read signs carefully.

At home, I let grapefruit sit out until they feel a bit soft, because I think this makes them taste sweeter. (Experts recommend storing them at room temperature for up to a week, only refrigerating them if you need to keep them longer.) They definitely taste sweeter served at room temperature.

In case you wonder where the name comes from, clearly it is not because this fruit tastes like a grape. Rather it is because on the tree, grapefruit tend to grow in clusters.

Grapefruit and Spinach Salad

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup frozen grapefruit juice concentrate, defrosted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. canola oil
3 Tbsp. cold water
1 yellow grapefruit
8 cups stemmed flat-leaf spinach, rinsed and dried
1 cup jicama, cut in 1/4-inch cubes

In small bowl, whisk mustard and grapefruit juice concentrate with salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in oil until mixture thickens to consistency of stirred yogurt. Whisk in cold water. Use immediately or store refrigerated in tightly-covered container up to 3 days. Shake dressing well before using.

Slice top and bottom off grapefruit. With small, sharp knife, cut away peel and pith. Holding grapefruit over bowl to catch juices, slip knife vertically down each side of individual sections, separating them. Squeeze any juice from remaining membrane and add to fruit. Cut sections can be refrigerated, in their juice, up to 2 days, tightly covered.

In large bowl, toss spinach with 2 Tbsp. dressing to coat leaves. Divide spinach among 4 salad plates. Arrange one-fourth of grapefruit over spinach. Sprinkle with one-fourth of jicama. Drizzle each salad with one-fourth of remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 156 calories, 8 g. total fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 21 g. carbohydrate, 4 g. protein, 7 g. dietary fiber, 179 mg. sodium.