ArcaMax

Just as you probably are, I'm looking forward to one of the biggest meals of the year next week: Christmas dinner. I grew up feasting on a hearty Austrian-style venison stew or a plump roast goose each December 25, and since moving to America I've grown accustomed to Christmas turkeys or hams or maybe a huge roast prime rib of beef.

Whatever the featured ingredient, you just know the main course is going to be robust, to say the least. And that's why I'd like to suggest that you start your meal not with a creamy pureed soup, as many people do, or some other rich, possibly heavy appetizer. Instead, I propose that you begin Christmas dinner with a salad.

But not just any salad. I believe in cooking and eating with the seasons as much as possible. So I like to compose my favorite holiday salads from ingredients that reflect the spirit of winter. I start with sharper-tasting, more robust leaves such as arugula, radicchio, curly endive, or spinach. (If you prefer, you could substitute milder greens such as butter lettuce, or mixed baby salad greens.) Then I might add hints of color and sweetness from the fruits that you find at this time of year, especially the sweet and fragrant tangerines or mandarins that star in festive dinner table centerpieces by don't always get eaten, or some sliced apples.

Tart-sweet dried fruit, too, is a holiday specialty, and I like to include it in some of my cold-weather salads, my favorites being whole dried cranberries or cherries, or sliced or chopped dried apricots. And I can't forget the nuts, another ingredient we always associate with festive cooking. Finally, I'll throw in shavings of a little salty cheese such as Parmesan or pecorino to complement the other ingredients.

There you have it: a simple strategy for putting together a wonderful winter salad like my Arugula Salad with Dried Cranberries, Tangerines, Pecorino Cheese, and Toasted Almonds. All you have to add is a dressing that ties everything together and highlights their flavors, such as the Spiced Orange Vinaigrette I also share with you here. (For ease and efficiency of preparation, the recipe yields more dressing than you need for the salad; so keep the rest refrigerated for other salads over the holidays.)

You don't have to serve the salad just as an appetizer, either. Try passing it as one of the side dishes with your holiday roast. Or offer it as a light dish to follow the main course, as they often serve salad in Europe.

It could be just the thing to refresh your appetite for a really big display of Christmas desserts.

ARUGULA SALAD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES, TANGERINES, PECORINO CHEESE, AND TOASTED ALMONDS

Serves 4

1/2 cup Spiced Orange Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1 pound baby arugula leaves

3 large tangerines or mandarins

3-ounce block pecorino cheese shaved into thin slices

1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

1 cup dried cranberries

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

At least several hours ahead of time, prepare and refrigerate the Spiced Orange Vinaigrette.

About 2 hours in advance, fill a large mixing bowl or basin with ice cubes and water. Rinse the arugula leaves under cold running water, and then immerse them in the ice water. Leave them to soak for 1 hour. Then, drain them and pat thoroughly dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Transfer to a plastic bag or covered container and refrigerate until just before serving time.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, peel the tangerines or mandarins. With the tip of a small, sharp knife, carefully slit the membrane on each of the segments; then, with your fingertips, assisted by the knife if necessary, peel off and discard the membranes. Put the segments in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

With a cheese shaver or a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler, cut the block of pecorino cheese along one of its wider sides into thin shavings. Put them in a bowl and set aside.

Spread the slivered almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put them in the preheated oven and bake until toasted golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes, checking and stirring them every 3 minutes or so. Immediately transfer to a bowl and leave them to cool to room temperature.

A few minutes before serving, put the arugula leaves in a large salad bowl. Add half each of the tangerine segments, pecorino shavings, almonds, and dried cranberries.

Add the 1/2 cup of dressing, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss the salad thoroughly until the leaves are evenly coated. Leave the mixture in the salad bowl or transfer to an attractive serving bowl or individual bowls or plates. Garnish with the remaining tangerines, pecorino, almonds, and cranberries and serve.

SPICED ORANGE VINAIGRETTE

Makes about 3 cups

3 cups fresh orange juice

5 whole cloves

2 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 cup Champagne vinegar

1/2 cup Sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Put the orange juice, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon in a small nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then continue boiling until the juice has reduced to 1/2 cup (15 to 20 minutes). Remove from the heat and leave the juice to cool to room temperature.

Pour the juice through a strainer into a mixing bowl; discard the spices. With a whisk, stir in the vinegars and mustard. While whisking continuously and briskly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the dressing to a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

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