A Very Uniq Salad

I want you guys to meet my new friend Uniq.  Say hi Uniq.  Aww, he’s a bit shy.  But in fairness if you were the ugly duckling in the family, you may not always warm to strangers either.  Give Uniq a break next time you see him on the produce isle, he kinda looks like shit, but this little guy has some really excellent goodies inside.

The Uniq fruit hails all the way from the island of Jamaica where someone that had very recently smoked a dubie had an epiphany about marrying a grapefruit with a tangerine.  Amazingly, this idea lasted past the munchies phase and Jamaica began harvesting and exporting the fruit by branding it with the tragically fitting name, the Ugli fruit.  Shockingly, the orders for the exotic ugli fruit were not overwhelming.  Fortunately for us, some marketing exec (also probably after smoking a dubie) pushed to have the fruit rebranded as the Uniq fruit.  That’s right Uniq, you’re not fat, you’re just big-boned.

Still suspect?  Maybe a little jump will change your mind..

See, harmless.  If you didn’t know any better you’d think those were orange slices right?  The Uniq is a great hybrid because it brings together two different tastes into one bite.  You got the great, bright sweetness as the dominant flavor, but then there’s a lingering tartness like a grapefruit floating around on your tongue as well.  My money is on this fruit being the next big juice craze. That’s right pomegranate, I’m talking to you!

Like any salad, it’s just a matter of doing a little prep work and assembling the dish.  Toast your nuts till fragrant, and chop the walnuts.

Mix juices, sugar, cinnamon and salt till dissolved. Whisking vigorously slowly pour in the oil. Don’t kill yourself over trying to make an authentic vinaigrette here though. Just taste for seasoning.

Wash your greens and toss with the dressing. Be sure you really get it coated so that wonderful cinnamony taste makes into the salad and doesn’t sink to the bottom.

Drop in the fruit; plate; sprinkle with nuts, cheese and mint leaves. Gangbusters.

Ingredients:
1/2 head romaine lettuce (baby romaine works too)
1/2 head endive
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 Uniqs peeled
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 lemon juice squeezed out
2 Tbsp sugar
pinch salt
good dash or 2 of cinnamon
3 tablespoons walnut oil (or olive oil)
big handful of crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

Kitchen Soundtrack: The White Stripes – White Blood Cells