Watermelon Radish, Orange, and Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 shallot or half of a small red onion
• 2 to 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt
• 2 to 3 watermelon radishes
• 2 to 3 oranges, clementines, grapefruit, etc. (I used Cara Cara oranges, which are sweet, pretty and delicious)
• a handful of walnuts, toasted and chopped (see notes)
• goat cheese to taste
• chives, minced, optional, but they add some nice color
• olive oil to taste

Instructions:

1. Mince shallot. Place in small bowl. Cover with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinegar depending on how big of a salad you are making. Add a pinch of salt. Set aside.
2. Cut off one end of the radish. Leave the other intact so you have a handle when you run the radish down your mandoline. Peel the radishes if you wish, though it is by no means necessary. Thinly slice on a mandoline. (Note: I ate one slice unpeeled and thought it tasted fine but went ahead and peeled them anyway because I thought the salad might look prettier if they were peeled, but I don't think it actually really matters.) Arrange radish slices on a platter. I try to fold some of them so they're not all squished down in one flat layer, but arrange however you wish. Season all over with salt.
3. Cut off each end of each orange. Squeeze each end over the radishes, then discard. Use a sharp knife to remove the skin from the orange. Cut in between membranes to remove each slice. Squeeze remaining membrane all over the radishes to extract any juice. Scatter oranges over the radishes.
4. Scatter walnuts and goat cheese to taste over the radishes and oranges. Pour macerated shallots and vinegar over top. Drizzle olive oil to taste (one to two tablespoons) over top. Scatter chives over top if using.
5. Let sit a few minutes (or longer — it benefits from a brief rest) before serving.