It was my turn to fix dinner the other night, but with sweltering temperatures extending into the evening, I did not feel like cooking.
Instead, I put a bottle of 2014 Martin Ranch “J.D. Hurley” Sauvignon Blanc in the refrigerator, and assembled a salad out of ingredients we had on hand. Fortunately, we had been to a farmers market over the weekend, so we had everything I needed to make a cool and refreshing — and Sauvignon Blanc friendly — Grapefruit and Papaya Salad.
I’m a big believer in matching flavors in food to some of the aromas and flavors in wine, and I selected the Martin Ranch Sauvignon Blanc because grapefruit and papaya are among the impressions it exudes. Its “grassy” quality, common to many Sauvignon Blanc wines, complements the flavors of the baby greens we had on hand.
Some of the best food-and-wine pairings are the simplest, and most of the time involved in the preparation of this meal was devoted to chilling down the wine and salad. I could have had the wine at the proper temperature more quickly by using a bucket of ice and cold water, but I also wanted to chill the salad for a while. Plus, I enjoyed the process of chopping, peeling, slicing and sectioning.
When you’re looking for an easy-to-prepare meal with no cooking necessary, try this salad — there was plenty for both Michelle and me — along with a bottle of 2014 Martin Ranch “J.D. Hurley” Sauvignon Blanc.
GRAPEFRUIT AND PAPAYA SALAD
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
- 2 pink grapefruits, peeled and sectioned
- 1 large papaya, peeled and sliced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 5 cups mixed baby greens
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
- In a large bowl, mix the lemon juice and olive oil.
- Add avocado, grapefruit, papaya and scallions.
- Toss to combine.
- Cover and place in refrigerator for 60-90 minutes.
- On two separate plates, split the baby greens. Add mixture, and sprinkle with the cilantro.
