Eating grapefruit always reminds me of my grandma. She has a grapefruit tree in her yard and for as many years as I can remember, there has always been a half of a grapefruit for breakfast. She also is the one who introduced me to what is still one of my favorite salads and it has grapefruit too. It’s a luscious fruit, fleshy and flavorful. The pink ones are considerably sweeter than the yellow and I don’t think they need any sweetener added to them. I like the yellow ones without sugar as well, but some people find them to be a little too tart.

This salad reminds me of spring. The new radishes are sweet and the colors are bright but soft, not quite reaching the intensity of summer. This salad can easily be doubled (or more) to serve with company and it goes with so many things. It would be delicious next to grilled or baked chicken and lovely next to pan seared fish. If you have a little mint, you could sprinkle that on top. Whatever you decide to do with it, I hope you enjoy its delicate flavors and subtly sweet allure.

Cucumber-Grapefruit Salad

1 grapefruit (preferably pink) + its juice

1/2 cucumber, peeled and seeded

3 radishes, trimmed

1/4 avocado, chopped

1 scallion, sliced

1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard (omit for AIP-friendly)

pinch of salt

1) Over a bowl to catch the juice, cut out the grapefruit supremes by first removing and discarding the top and bottom peel of the grapefruit. Then cut along the sides removing the rest of the peel and any bitter pith. Cut into each section removing the flesh only. Place sections on a cutting board and halve or quarter them. Squeeze the remainder of the grapefruit juice into the bowl.

2) Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the cucumber into very thin half-moons. With the mandoline again, slice the radishes thinly.

3) Evenly distribute the grapefruit, cucumber, radishes, avocado, and scallion onto 1 or 2 serving plates.

4) Whisk the vinegar, mustard, and salt into the reserved grapefruit juice. Taste to adjust seasoning and drizzle over the salad.

Serves 1-2