Pink Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette
Inspired by Luis Barragan
Think pink, indeed. The signature angled rosy-hued walls of Modernist architect Luis Barragán have inspired this vibrant salad. Not just an acclaimed architect, Barragán was equally a bon vivant—he lived a life as colorful as his architecture and loved the best and most beautiful of everything—and that included food. His love of color—especially that pink—and its interplay of form, structure, light and space—was a lifelong work. It was often said that at times he wanted to only eat pink meals—such as sherry drizzled melons. This recipe combines all things pink hued—tender roasted beets, the acidity of pink grapefruit, the sweetness of watermelon and the zing of picked red onions—all enrobed in a simple sherry vinaigrette. Color aside, this dish is perfect for entertaining—the flavors only deepen the longer it sits. Looking at the world through rose colored lenses never tasted so good.
See this recipe on The Purist…
“Food and design? Yes, there’s a connection. What makes shelter a home? What makes food into cuisine? While the techniques are vastly different, the intent behind them are the same. Thought and consideration, creativity and attention matched with function as the foundation. Here are three dishes that pay tribute to some of our 20th century design icons who have captured our imagination—Luis Barragàn, Hans Wegner and Charles and Ray Eames. A vibrantly pink-hued salad, a humble yet elegant fish chowder and a tender chocolate cake—each dish started as a building usually does—as an assemblage of various ingredients and parts that come together as a harmonious unit. Form follows function? Yes indeed. And in this case, food follows along as well.”
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup sherry vinegar
½ cup cold water
2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 shots sriracha
3 cups watermelon, cut into ½” slices
4-5 small beets, roasted and cut into ½” slices
½ pint raspberries
1 pink grapefruit, peeled and cut into sections
⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Vinaigrette
⅓ cup sherry vinegar
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
METHOD
To pickle red onions, in a small bowl combine red onion, sherry vinegar, water, kosher salt, sugar and sriracha and stir to combine. Set aside at room temperature for 30-40 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.
For the vinaigrette, combine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a jar with a tight lid and shake until combined.
Arrange watermelon and beets on a large platter, and top with raspberries, grapefruit, pickled red onion and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with vinaigrette and finish with flaky sea salt.