Orange Avocado Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette

Cumin also walks hand in hand with cayenne in many recipes. In this salad recipe, it is also paired with orange, a flavor that works very well with this spice. The dressing can be used on other salads, including bean salads, and is a particularly good choice when serving Mexican fare. In testing a half dozen recipes featuring cumin, this was my favorite. Place the cumin and cayenne in a small skillet and toast over medium heat about 1 minute, until fragrant. Set aside. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic to a paste with the salt. Place in a small bowl; add the lemon juice and vinegar. Whisk in the oil and toasted cumin and cayenne. The dressing can be made in advance. Peel an avocado and cut into cubes. Peel the oranges with a sharp knife and cut into the natural sections. Cut the onion in half lengthwise and cut each half into thin slivers. Mound greens on individual serving dishes. Arrange the orange segments, avocado cubes and slivered onion on top. Whisk the dressing to combine well and drizzle over the salads. Note: for added texture and flavor, sprinkle crumbled feta cheese on top. Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 210 calories; 17.6 g fat; no cholesterol; 285 mg sodium. (Analysis for vinaigrette alone: 67 calories; 6.9 g fat; no cholesterol; 179 mg sodium). Recipe by: Ann Heller, Food editor, Dayton Daily News