Instructions: For the Dressing: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, zest, honey and salt and pepper to taste in a blender and process for a few seconds, or whisk everything together in a bowl.

For the Salad: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast them until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Set them aside.

Watercress can be muddy, so wash it thoroughly, then tear the small sprigs from the branches, discarding the heavy stems. Spin it in a salad spinner to dry. Rinse and tear the butter lettuce and spin dry.

Peel the tangerines, remove all the white pith and separate the sections. Slice the peel off the grapefruit and separate the sections, removing the membranes.

Peel the avocados and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Unless you are cutting the avocados at the last moment, sprinkle a little lemon juice on them and cover them.

Combine the watercress, lettuce, tangerines, grapefruit, avocado and crumbled cheese in a large salad bowl and toss together with your hands. Add most of the dressing and continue lifting and turning very gently until everything is evenly bathed, then taste and add a bit more dressing only if its needed.

Arrange the salad on individual plates and sprinkle the toasted walnut pieces on top.

This recipe yields 8 servings.

Comments: If you want to make this even more luxurious, substitute lightly pralined walnuts for plain, toasted ones. When pixie tangerines are not in season, substitute one or two sweet oranges, separating them into peeled sections.

NOTES : Anna Thomas is the author of "The Vegetarian Epicure" and "The New Vegetarian Epicure" as well as the movies "El Norte" and "Mi Familia"

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