AVOCADO AND GRAPEFRUIT WITH SHISO (Reprinted with permission from "The World in a Bowl of Tea," By Bettina Vitell. Copyright 1997, HarperCollins.) This is an easy salad for summer. The chilled, transparent grapefruit is harmonious with the refreshing tastes of lime and mint-like shiso. Cut-glass serving dishes add to the feeling of freshness. I N G R E D I E N T S (Serves 6) 1 pink grapefruit 3/4 cup plus one tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon grated lime zest 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 ripe Haas avocados 6 large shiso or mint leaves Nasturtium flowers for garnish Peel and section the grapefruit, and remove the membranes and seeds. Cut the fruit into triangular wedges. Cover and chill. Mix 1/4 cup of the lime juice, the zest and soy sauce in a small bowl. Just before serving, peel, halve and pit the avocados. Place the halves, cut side down, on a cutting board and slice them into wedges the same size as the grapefruit. Sprinkle them with the remaining lime juice to prevent browning. For each serving, place a shiso leaf on a small plate or bowl. Pile on avocado and grapefruit wedges in overlapping fashion to form a mound. In a deep bowl, the food should come to just below the edge; in a shallow bowl or plate, the arrangement should rise just above the rim. Leave empty space on all sides of the mounded food. Pour the dressing on the side to form a small pool. Garnish with nasturtium flowers. April 30, 1997 COOKBOOK SHELF ARCHIVE