Watermelon Radish, Orange & Goat Cheese Salad

Adapted from Alexandra Stafford

This recipe utilizes a mandoline. If you don’t own one, try using the large hole on a grater or slice as thinly as you can.

1 shallot or half of a small red onion
2 to 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
2 to 3 watermelon radishes
2 to 3 oranges, clementines, grapefruit, etc.
a handful of walnuts
goat cheese to taste
chives, minced, optional, but they add some nice color
olive oil to taste

Mince shallot. Place in small bowl. Cover with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinegar depending on how big of a salad you are making. Add a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Toast nuts: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place walnuts on a baking sheet and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until slightly browner and smelling fragrant. Dump the walnuts into a tea towel. Rub off the skins. Remove walnuts from towel, leaving skins behind. If you wish to get more of the skin off, place walnuts in a strainer and shake it aggressively. Chop nuts into small pieces.

Cut off one end of the radish. Leave the other intact so you have a handle when you run the radish down your mandoline. Peel the radishes if you wish, though it is by no means necessary. Thinly slice on a mandoline. Arrange radish slices on a platter. Season all over with salt.

Cut off each end of each orange. Squeeze each end over the radishes, then discard. Use a sharp knife to remove the skin from the orange. Cut in between membranes to remove each slice. Squeeze remaining membrane all over the radishes to extract any juice. Scatter oranges over the radishes.

Scatter walnuts and goat cheese to taste over the radishes and oranges. Pour macerated shallots and vinegar over top. Drizzle olive oil to taste (one to two tablespoons) over top. Scatter chives over top if using.

Let sit a few minutes (or longer — it benefits from a brief rest) before serving.