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A coworker gave me a grapefruit from the Farmer’s Market the other day that she made me promise I would try. Living in Florida you start to get very picky about your citrus. Luckily, this coworker can be counted on to suggest the good stuff. Anyhow, the grapefruit was a Duncan grapefruit and she described it as pleasantly sour though stuffed with seeds. What she didn’t tell me was that this grapefruit has an extremely thick rind, is wonderfully juicy (I ended up saving the juice that developed to drink later), and has a nice floral flavor that you don’t find in most grapefruits (similar to a really good tomato). It turns out the Duncan grapefruit is the oldest cultivated grapefruit variety first planted in 1830 in Safety Harbor, Floirda.

I love grapefruits, really all citrus, but hate to eat them. Cutting them in half and then into tiny sections is just way too much work and I always end up hungrier at the end than when I started. This grapefruit was a gift so I had to use it and I had to use it in a timely manner. Thus, I decided to make something with it where I could cut off the rind and easily slice it into sections. This salad met those criteria and had the added bonus of being Thai-inspired. It turned out better than I expected with just the right amount of spice the twang that I associate with green papaya salad.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 7 ounces rice vermicelli
• 1 large grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
• 1/2 cup roasted cashews or peanuts
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Mix the hot red pepper flakes, garlic, brown sugar, lime juice, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Let sit (and feel free to make a few days ahead as the flavor will improve). Set a large pot of water to boil. Mix the grapefruit, cashews, mint and cilantro together in a large bowl. When the water boils add the rice noodles and cook 1-5 minutes (depends on their thickness). Drain and rinse under cold water until cool or plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain noodles again then toss with the grapefruit mixture and the dressing.

Yields: 2-4 servings