Serves 4

Three California classics combine in this delectable salad to make this perfect flavor matching. 

3 tablespoons of olive oil

¼ cup orange juice

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon finely minced fresh mint

About 1 pound of asparagus

2 sweet, ripe navel oranges

The meat from one large cooked Dungeness crab

Sweet purple onion

Crisp lettuce leaves

Fresh, coarse ground black pepper to taste

Put the first four ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid, shake vigorously and set aside at room temperature until ready to serve the salad.

Remove 1 or 2 inches from the bottom of each asparagus spear and slice on the diagonal into 1 inch pieces.  Gently drop into boiling water.

When the water returns to the boil, continue to cook for 1 or 2 minutes only.  Drain and place in cold water immediately to stop the cooking.  Drain well and set aside.  Peel the oranges and cut into quarter inch slices.  Cut each slice into quarters.  Flake the crab meat into bite size pieces.  Cut several very thin slices from a sweet purple onion.

Line a serving plate with crisp lettuce leaves.  Alternately scatter the asparagus, orange and crab meat over the lettuce.  Separate the onion slices into rings and scatter over the top.  Shake the jar of dressing again and drizzle over the salad.  Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint and several slices of unpeeled orange.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve chilled.