Endive & Pomegranate Salad

From EatingWell: Fall 2003 — Subscribe Now!

Please your guests with the contrasting textures and flavors of crunchy Belgian endives, juicy oranges and tart, ruby-red pomegranate seeds. The addition of cooked shrimp makes this an elegant first course.

4 servings

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

Dressing

6 tablespoons pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Salad

2 large navel oranges
2 Belgian endives
1 cup watercress
1 avocado
12 medium cooked shrimp, (about 8 ounces), optional
1 cup pomegranate seeds, (1 large fruit; see Tip)

Preparation

To prepare dressing: Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
To prepare salad: Peel oranges with a paring knife, removing the white pith. Quarter and slice the oranges. Wipe endives with a damp cloth (do not soak"they tend to absorb water); cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Wash and dry watercress. Peel and pit avocado; cut into thin slices lengthwise.
To assemble salads: Alternate avocado slices and orange sections in a fan shape on each of 4 salad plates. Top with endive, watercress and shrimp, if using. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and serve.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 2 days.

Ingredient note: Look for pomegranate juice with other bottled juices or in the produce section of well-stocked supermarkets and natural-foods stores.
Tip: To avoid the enduring stains of pomegranate juice, work under water! Fill a large bowl with water. Hold the pomegranate in the water and slice off the crown. Lightly score the fruit into quarters, from crown to stem end. Keeping the fruit under water, break it apart, gently separating the plump arils from the outer skin and white pith. The seeds will drop to the bottom of the bowl and the pith will float to the surface. Discard the pith. Pour the seeds into a colander. Rinse and pat dry. The seeds can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable bag for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Per serving: 292 calories; 19 g fat (2 g sat, 11 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 13 g fiber; 244 mg sodium; 1336 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A & C (120% daily value), Folate (108% dv), Potassium (38% dv), Calcium (20% dv), Magnesium & Zinc (16% dv), Iron (15% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 fruit, 2 vegetable, 3 1/2 fat (without shrimp)