While the Northeast is buried under two feet of snow and transportation delays all you want to do is curl up with a big bowl of stew. I generally feel the same way. Hearty meat dishes with red and brown sauces are what I crave during these cruel months. Sometimes however I crave something green. Something pretty and light that reminds me that spring is just around the corner…sometimes you just need a pretty salad. And I’m not talking about a so-called “winter salad” that you find on menus which consists of the hearty stew you are going to consume for your next course splashed over a bed of stringy kale.

Winter does provide its share of pretty green vegetables. Lettuces are still crowding the farmers markets and beet abound. However my favorite winter vegetable is the watermelon radish. Not only is it beautiful in color (think light green outside to reveal a pretty pink stripped pattern inside) but it’s sweet and mild like a daikon. Which means, it can be eaten raw.

The other treasure of winter is blood oranges. Slightly sweeter than a normal orange  their flesh is usually dark purple. Don’t ever eat a blood orange in a white shirt, you and your shirt will be very sorry. Oranges and radishes together with some spicy arugula make very pretty and surprisingly flavorful salad. Simply toss with balsamic vinegar and olive oil or use my mustard vinaigrette recipe below.

Winter Salad with Watermelon Radish and Blood Orange

Serves 2

You will need:

4 cups fresh baby arugula

1 large watermelon radish

2 blood oranges

1/4 teaspoon Maldon salt

For the vinaigrette:

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar (I like Fini brand)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, finely minced

Method:

1. Peel the oranges with your finger and slice into rounds. Cuts these like you would a pizza into sections. Do the same with the radish and add to a large bowl.

2. In a small bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard and garlic together.

3. Toss with arugula, radish and oranges in a large bowl and sprinkle with Maldon salt.