In our interview with Sauce on Hampton's chef-owner Sassan Rostamian, the chef talked about the importance of the farmers markets, which have become the focal points and ad hoc meeting grounds for chefs and home cooks all over town. Rostamian's recipe, for a simple market salad of fennel, avocado, blood orange and spinach with a blood orange vinaigrette, is pretty much a current market grocery list on a plate. Turn the page for the recipe.

fennel citrus avocado salad at Sauce; Credit: A. Scattergood

fennel citrus avocado salad at Sauce; Credit: A. Scattergood

Fennel citrus avocado salad with blood orange vinaigrette

From: Sassan Rostamian of Sauce on Hampton

Serves: 1-2

Blood orange vinaigrette:

Makes: about 3 cups

Note: You can substitute grapeseed oil for the olive oil.

1/2 blood orange juice

2 ounces red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 clove of garlic

1 – 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

1. Put all the ingredients except the oil in a blender and blend for about 10 seconds. With the blender running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream until emulsified.

Salad and assembly:

1/2 of a ripe avocado, preferably Pinkerton, sliced

1 blood orange, cut into slices (or supremes)

about 3 ounces baby spinach (or a large handful)

1/2 large bulb of fennel, thinly sliced

1/2 stalk of celery, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons of toasted Macadamia nuts, crumbled

1. Assemble the ingredients together on a salad plate. Drizzle as much of the vinaigrette as you like onto the salad and serve immediately. You'll have plenty of extra vinaigrette.

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