email this pageBut thanks to low-carb diets and ultra-busy schedules, we’re not eating as much citrus as we used to. Consumption of oranges dropped almost 25 percent between 1970 and 2002, while grapefruit consumption dropped almost 50 percent.
To counter that trend, some citrus farmers have begun to grow and market unusual varietals and new hybrids. At Alegre Farms in southern California, Scott and Leanne Fortiner grow certified-organic Borrego pink grapefruits, a root-stock hybrid that’s sweet and sour all at once. The Fortiners also plant exotic, organic mandarins (Kinnow, Daisy and others).
At La Vigne, toward the Pacific coast, Robert and Heleme Beck specialize in boutique citrus such as organic Meyer lemons, Satsuma tangerines, kaffir limes, blood oranges, kumquats and five kinds of mandarins.
Here we’ve harnessed all the tart zest and fruity juice of the citrus family, into a punch, sorbet, brulée and pie—all welcome at the holiday table.
Sectioning Citrus
Skinless and easier to eat, sections are best in compotes and salads. To section an orange or grapefruit, first remove the peel. With a knife, cut off the white pith and skin until the fruit is exposed. Then working over a bowl, cut the sections out in between the membranes to obtain the fruit. Squeeze the membranes to get every last bit of juice.
Mandarin Punch
1¼ cups pineapple juice
1 quart fresh Satsuma, tangerine
or orange juice
1 cup gold rum
½ cup orange-flavored liqueur,
such as Cointreau
¼ cup dark rum, such as Myers’s
¼ cup lime juice
2 tablespoons grenadine syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
2. Stir in remaining ingredients. To serve, pour over ice in large glasses. Serves 8.
Recipe by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, Relish the Season, "The Sunshine Season," Dec. 2007.
Grapefruit Sorbet
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Ingredients
1⁄3 cup sugar
1⁄3 cup honey
¼ cup water
2 egg whites, at room temperature
2. Bring sugar, honey and water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Remove from heat.
3. Beat egg whites in a large bowl with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to medium and beat in sugar mixture in a slow, steady stream. Continue beating 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl.
4. Fold egg white mixture into puréed grapefruit. Chill at least 6 hours or overnight. The mixture may separate while chilling; whisk until smooth before freezing.
5. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Serve at once or freeze for up to 3 months. Serves 8.
Recipe by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, Relish the Season," The Sunshikne Season," Dec. 2007.
Orange Meringue Pie
Ingredients
¼ cup melted butter
3 eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
½ teaspoon salt, divided
2½ cups fresh Satsuma, tangerine or orange juice, divided
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup finely grated tangerine or orange zest
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
2. Combine cracker crumbs and butter; toss with a fork until moist. Press into bottom of a 9-inch pie pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes; cool.
3. Increase oven temperature to 375F.
4. Whisk egg yolks, ½ teaspoon vanilla, ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ cup juice in a medium bowl until smooth.
5. Combine remaining juice, sugar, cornstarch and zest in a medium saucepan; whisk in egg yolk mixture. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Pour into crust.
6. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl with a mixer at high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Beat in confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until soft peaks form. Beat in remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla.
7. Spread meringue over warm pie, sealing to crust’s edges.
8. Bake until lightly browned and set, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack before serving. Serves 8.
Recipe by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, Relish the Season, "The Sunshine Season," Dec. 2007.
Grapefruit Brûlée
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Ingredients
and sectioned
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut into small pieces
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
2. Place grapefruit sections in a broiler-safe 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar; dot with butter. Sprinkle spices over top.
3. Broil until bubbling and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 minutes. Cool 2 minutes. To serve, gently transfer sections to bowls with a metal spatula; scoop up juice in pan and drizzle over sections. Serves 6.
Recipe by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, Relish the Season, "The Sunshine Season," Dec. 2007.
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