Avocado Pea Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

I was on eightWest recently demonstrating some fantastic salads for the summer.  The whole idea is fresh filling salads that will have you craving more.  Below is the fabulous recipe for you to enjoy year around.  Enjoy!

Avocado and Chick Pea Salad                 Yield:  4 servings

1-2 Avocados, sliced
3 radishes, sliced thin
½ cup snap peas, sliced thin
½ cup drained and rinsed garbonzo (chick peas) beans
1-2 cups watercress
¼ cup toasted almonds
Vinaigrette
2 tangerines or oranges (large, or use 4 clementines)
Zests of 1 tangerine or orange
1 ½ TB honey
1 ½ TB chopped shallots
1 Jalapeno
1 TB white wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 TB olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:  In a small sauce pan, heat juice of two tangerines (or oranges) with honey and reduce to 1/3 cup.  Stir often so honey does not caramelize.  It will be syrup like in the end.  Set aside to cool.  In a food processor, puree jalapeno, place in a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth.  Place ½ tsp of salt and let sit so it drains into a bowl.  Let sit for 15 minutes.  Finish by squeezing liquid out of jalapeno puree into a small bowl. Set aside. In a second pan, heat 2 qts of water to a boil.  Place snap peas into water, cook for 15 seconds, drain and cool with cold tap water.  Set aside.  In a food processor, add reduced juice, shallot, jalapeno juice (use a tsp at a time, taste, add more if you need more heat), white wine vinegar, small pinch of salt and pepper, Dijon mustard and olive oil.  Puree.
Plating:  Slice avocados, place in a bowl, drizzle ½ TB of vinaigrette and toss avocado.  Arrange avocados on 4 separate plates, add snap peas, garbonzo beans and watercress atop the avocado.  Drizzle dressing over all 4 plates, top with almonds and radishes.  Serve.