Citrus Tarragon Vinaigrette Dressing with Smoked Trout & Bacon Horseradish Scones

December in Silicon Valley is cold. Even so, it's citrus season here, and when my friend brought me some lemons and oranges from another friend's garden they called out to me to be paired with some salty smoked trout and delicate, herbaceous greens. I wanted something sort of summery to keep the winter chill at bay, and it occurred to me that citrus zest smells more like the fruit than its juice and pulp. A little fresh tarragon completes the flavor profile. I'm suggesting you serve this alongside my Shepherd's Pie w/ Beer Gravy, or you could pair it with these yummy bacon horseradish scones and whip up a batch of perfect scrambled eggs, for a sophisticated breakfast for dinner, or an easy brunch.

Citrus-Tarragon Dressing
(Makes enough dressing for 1 & 1/2 bags of salad)

1 lemon + 1/2 lemon zest (approx. 2 teasp.)
1 small orange + 1/4 orange zest
1 Tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
1/4 teasp. mustard powder
1 small shallot, pulsed into a paste in the food processor
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt, to taste
fresh black pepper, to taste

For the Salad:
1 1/2 bags of pre-washed mixed salad greens.
1 tin of trader joe's smoked trout (3.9 oz), or weight equivalent

1. Whisk all ingredients together until fully incorporated. I made my dressing the night before so the flavors would have time to marry.
2. Coat your salad with dressing.
3. Serve topped with 1/4 tin smoked trout.

Bacon Horseradish Scones
(Makes about 8 smallish scones)

6 slices of bacon
6 Tablesp. chilled butter, chopped

Dry ingredients:

1 3/4 c. flour
2 1/4 Teasp. baking powder
1/2 teasp. salt
1/4 teasp. pepper

Wet ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/3 c. of milk
2 Tablesp. horseradish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook bacon in a pan on medium heat until bacon is slightly underdone.
3. Reserve 1 Tablesp. bacon grease to add to the dough.
4. While the bacon is cooking, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
5. When bacon is done to your liking, remove from the hot pan and set aside to cool.
6. Add the chilled, chopped butter to your dry ingredients and, using your fingers, pinch and roll butter into the dry ingredients until they resemble small, off-white crumbs.
7. Mix together wet ingredients in a separate bowl and when combined, add to the butter/dry ingredients mixture. If the batter seems too dry, you can pour in a bit more milk.
8. Chop up and add the bacon and reserved bacon grease.
9. Roll out batter slightly and cut into wedges or form into balls. Set them on a greased baking sheet.
10. Put your scones into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops have just started to brown.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and I welcome your feedback!

P.S.: The picture is of a brunch menu I concocted for another website; it features a different salad and a different scramble, but it's the only pic I have of the scones. Pic of the salad to follow.