I invented this salad a few years ago on a freezing January in Boston when I was desperately trying to think of something vibrant and fresh to serve at a friend's baby shower. Something to offset the usual selection of doughy, starchy finger sandwiches and cookies. I remember feeling rather discouraged by the limited selection of mid-winter produce. Finally I picked up some firm, deeply magenta heads of radicchio, a few shiny ruby grapefruits and, on a whim, a chunk of pecorino pepato and a bag of walnuts. I wasn’t really sure where I was going with all this but it just felt right. (You're probably saying “grapefruit with cheese?!” but I swear, it’s delicious.)

The salad was the hit of the party and has gone on to become a staple in my house. It's perfect in the winter when citrus is at its peak and local greens are hard to come by. The tangy grapefruit and bitter radicchio play beautifully against the rich, peppery cheese and toasted walnuts. I’ve made it with whole radicchio leaves but I really like the way everything melds together when they are sliced thin. It almost has a sort of chopped-salad consistency but it never gets goopy or watery. Try it with a piece of grilled meat or as a meal in itself.