The last Saturday in January at the Farmers’ Market in Old Town Auburn was hopping. Lots of people were out early to find the best local produce available. The citrus crops are still going strong; mandarins are available even as the navel oranges arrive. Bearss limes and Meyer lemons are widely available and the grapefruit and pommelo are abundant. In addition, the blood oranges are ripe and beautiful. Their reddish flesh adds flair to any salad. This is the right time of year to try out any of those citrus recipes you have been thinking about. Limes are very high on my list right now. I use lime to tenderize and flavor meats and fish, and have been drinking lime juice, honey, and hot water. Very tangy and refreshing; my winter version of limeade.

In addition to citrus, the greens are glorious right now. We think of summer when we dream of green salad, but there is beautiful lettuce, arugula, mizuna, and escarole available right now in February. Paired with chopped dried plums, pistachios, and arugula, salad greens are elevated to a new high. Add a little bit of sliced red onion and yummy mustard honey vinaigrette and as they say in France, “oh, la, la.”

This is also the right time of year to use cabbage. I have been using it on sandwiches to add an extra crunch. Top a grilled salmon sandwich on focaccia bread with some cabbage sautéed lightly in a little olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper. Along with a lemon garlic aioli, this sandwich is upgraded to “special treat” status.

Last week I roasted a pork shoulder with lime juice and a little salt and pepper. I roasted it until it fell apart, about two and a half hours. I then used it for tacos along with shredded cabbage and sour cream that I thinned with more lime juice. My family loved it.

I immediately took the leftover pork and mixed it with Snow’s Citrus Mandarin Grilling Sauce. Put the mixture in the refrigerator and made pulled pork sandwiches for the Super Bowl. Again, rave reviews. This is my kind of cooking — fast, flavorful, and no waste.

All of the recipes mentioned above are made from local ingredients that are available right now. Isn’t that amazing? Every week I am reminded how lucky we are to live where we do, here in Northern California where fresh and local is available 12 months a year. I bought all of the ingredients from the Auburn Farmers’ Market — even the taco shells, made locally at a firm in Sacramento.

I am frequently asked not just for recipes, but also for menus. So here is a nice, simple, seasonal menu for you to try this week. The salad is an old recipe from Spain and the cauliflower soup adds a seasonal twist to the traditional soup-and-salad dinner.

Carol Arnold is the marketing manager of the Foothill Farmers’ Market Association. Reach her at foothillfarmersmarket@gmail.com.

Navel Orange Salad

For the salad:

1 head lettuce, washed, spun dry and torn into bite-sized pieces

2 Navel oranges, peeled and thinly sliced

½ red Spanish onion, thinly sliced

20 pitted black olives, cut in half

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Pinch of sugar

Combine white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar to create dressing. Marinate the oranges, onions, and olives in the dressing. Place greens on salad plate. Gently place the marinated oranges, onions, and olives over the greens. Use the dressing to dress the salad.

Kitchen tip: To peel the orange, start by cutting the top and bottom off of the orange. Slice off the peel, starting at the top of the orange and cutting toward the bottom. This takes the peel and the pith off at the same time.

Cauliflower Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, halved and sliced thinly

1 teaspoon salt

5 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup dry white wine

1 large, 2 pound head cauliflower (I use romanesco, which is green), chopped

4 cups chicken broth

White or black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons minces chives

1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and salt, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic and wine and cook, stirring, until liquid is absorbed. Add cauliflower and broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until cauliflower is very soft, 30 minutes.

Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend the soup until very smooth. If using a conventional blender, blend in three batches to avoid hot liquid spilling over the top of the blender. Season to taste with white pepper and salt. Next, combine olive oil, chives, and parsley in a small bowl. Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle herb oil on top.