There is a wonderful tree laden with oranges I get to pass by
every morning on my way to work, and it is so beautiful it makes me
want to hurry even faster to get to my office so I can make my
daily orange juice smoothie. There is something about citrus that
excites the taste buds and whets the appetites. It must be the
zest!
There is a wonderful tree laden with oranges I get to pass by every morning on my way to work, and it is so beautiful it makes me want to hurry even faster to get to my office so I can make my daily orange juice smoothie. There is something about citrus that excites the taste buds and whets the appetites. It must be the zest!
Are you bored with your life? Then put some zest back into it by using oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines and grapefruit that are in season right now. People ask me often to provide recipes for citrus dishes and my first response is to tell them to simply eat the fruit as it is. Oranges right now have the perfect balance for our taste buds, provided my nature. Sweet, tart, bitter and sour can be balanced with just a few sprinklings of fine sea salt and voila! It tastes so good you do not have to stop to figure up the fat grams, calories or carbs. Just eat it.
In preparing for this article, I starting thinking about the power of the word orange. Orange describes a fruit and it also is a definite name of a color. Not many other products we eat have that distinction. Thinking about it even further, I came to the realization that it is the citrus fruits we use as a descriptive name in colors more often than any other. You probably own a lemon colored blouse or shirt, a lime green tie, a tangerine pair of shorts or socks, but do you describe your shoes as potato brown?
As far as the zest goes, the valuable and flavorful oils of the citrus live in the outer skin, where the color is. Many times that is peeled away and tossed out in order to get to the juicy fruit inside. For cooking and for garnishing, take advantage of the outer peeling by using the zest in salads, in your baking, to sprinkle over fish and chicken and for dropping into your tea.
In order to get the zest off of the outer rind without digging into the bitter white pith, use a tool known as a zester. There are several versions available. A popular zester cooks are using in the kitchen is a garage and workshop tool known as a rasp. With its sharp little teeth, it can be rubbed over the whole orange and the wonderful oily orange colored zest comes off in little fine tidbits to be used as needed. Grapefruit zest is quite wonderful over fish steaks, lime and lemon zest is perfect with seafood and all of them can be interchanged as desired. Have a zestful week.
CITRUS COMPOTE
1 cup sugar
pinch of fine sea salt
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 cups water
3 eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice
juice of l lime
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1-2 oranges, peeled and separated
1 grapefruit, peeled and separated
In a batter bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and cornstarch. Whisk in water. Microwave on high 2 minutes. Whisk well. Microwave another 2 minutes and whisk well. Microwave another 2-3 minutes, whisk until thickened. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl and add a little of the hot thickened mixture to them. Carefully whisk the warmed eggs into the hot mixture. Add lemon juice, lime juice and zest. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Whisk in vanilla. Allow to cool, covered with plastic wrap. Gently stir in the fruits and serve in clear glass dishes, garnished with whipped cream if desired, with a garnish of citrus zest.
CITRUS SALAD
deep green salad leaves (spinach or leaf lettuce)
2 thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup sherry or other fruit flavored vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
freshly ground pepper
zest of 1 lime
zest of 1 orange
1-2 oranges, peeled and cut into slices
1 pink grapefruit, peeled and cut into slices
1/3 cup pine nuts, or other nuts of your choice
Wash and spin dry the green leaves and put them into a beautiful salad bowl. Refrigerate. In glass measuring cup, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, lime zest and orange zest. Prepare citrus and slice into thin, juicy slices. Toss everything over the chilled leaves and serve immediately. Chunks of cheese could by added, if desired.
CITRUS ZEST FOR SEASONING MEATS, FISH, POULTRY
zest of orange, lemon, lime and tangerine
finely snipped chives or fresh green onions
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon Chipotle pepper
Combine all ingredients in a little bowl. Rub it over whatever it is you are cooking! Great with fish, chicken breasts, scallops, etc. It is also wonderful stirred into melted unsalted butter and used as a dip for fresh crab or over baked potatoes.
ORANGE VINAIGRETTE
grated peel and juice of 1 orange
1 shallot or 2-3 green onions, minced
1 tablespoon Champagne or sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Whisk all ingredients. Serve over tender butter lettuce of mixed baby greens or over a vegetable medley.
