Contraband Blood Orange from Sicily
In America, well, except in California, we consider this time of year to be the end of citrus season. While available in the market all year round, citrus fruits tend to be celebrated most in the Winter months here. Of course in Italy, lemons and blood oranges are all the rage now! Lucky people! I last wrote about Citrus on December 27, 2012, but, visiting Italy has re-ignited my interest and kept them on my mind.
Citrus is such an invaluable bonus in the kitchen – it is one genre of fruits which is equally valuable on the savory side as the sweet. Not only can we use them broadly in foodstuffs, but they are highly prized partners at the bar – in Sangrias, punches, lots of mixed drinks and…….! See the New York Times Dining Section today for lots of drink recipes including citrus!
Well, there is actually lots of citrus featured in the Dining Section today!
Each and every morsel of the fruits is useful, except of course, the pith, which everyone agrees is bitter. What would your martini be without a twist? Citrus is functional as well as decorative – it offers color, brightening, balance, sparkle and punch.
I have been very interested to see the surge in the use of zests, and to a lesser extent, the peel of citrus fruits in cooking and baking over the last several years. There seems to be hardly a recipe that doesn’t call for, mostly, some lemon zest, as an ingredient to serve a multitude of purposes. Lemon zest can brighten other flavors, add a hint of something in an otherwise bland batter or savory recipe and it can also be used as a balancing ingredient when something has an extreme pungency or piquant flavor – like say, goat cheese. It is added to savory meals, say Osso Bucco, and is a highly valued item particularly in Mediterranean cooking – where they have those amazing lemons and blood oranges. I am still staring at my Sicilian blood orange every day. I keep saying to myself, “you’d better go ahead and use this before it’s too late”. But, I keep keeping it as some kind of momento.
I have taken to enhancing a cup of Earl Grey tea (already flavored with the bergamot orange) with about a 2″ slice of orange peel. I find that this really enhances the flavor of the tea – hot or iced.
The other day, I re-watched an episode of Ming Tsai’s Simply Ming, where he visits Tommy’s in San Francisco. In that show I watched Tommy make an array of Margaritas using different vintages and terroirs of tequila – all with fresh lime juice – squeezed to order. They go through hords of limes in a week. Another benefit of living in California.
Some people consider goat cheese an acquired taste. I remember that I used to feel this way……..
I have been a fan of goat cheese from the time my friend, Donna Miller shared here recipe for Goat Cheese Appetizer (Crostini) many moons ago. Before that I found the pungency of goat cheese a little off-putting, mainly because I really wasn’t used to it. Donna’s recipe used lemon zest, herbs and garlic as balancing flavors and, truth be told, the lemon zest is most effective at softening the flavor to the point that it is just right. Over the years I have experimented with other goat cheese recipes, many which used lemon zest as a balancing agent, and especially for those who don’t take their goat cheese “straight up”.
My Peaches with Goat Cheese, Honey and Black Pepper is a summertime favorite – sprinkle some lemon zest on for a little extra zing.
Anyway, here are a couple of “new” recipes I’ve come across this past week which feature citrus. I think they are worth trying……..
The other day, I was thumbing through the newest edition of Bon Appetit magazine and came upon Emily Luchetti’s Goat Cheese Cake with Mixed Berries. I immediately tagged it and targeted it for a next experiment.
EMILY LUCHETTI’S GOAT CHEESE CAKE WITH MIXED BERRIES – courtesy Bon Appetit June 2013
Unsalted butter for pan
3/4 cup sugar plus more for pan
12 oz. fresh soft goat cheese, room temp
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (think I would use more – at least zest of one whole lemon)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 large eggs, separated
3 tblsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 pints mixed berries (blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9″ springform pan and dust with sugar, tapping out any excess. Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat goat cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks, two at a time, beating to blend and scraping down sides of bowl between additions. Reduce speed to low, add flour and mix just until blended.
Using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold 1/4 of egg whites into goat cheese mixture just until blended; fold in remaining egg whites just until blended. Scrape into the prepared pan and tap pan to level batter.
Bake cheesecake until top is set but still jiggles slightly in center, 30-35 minutes
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even though these look dry and crusty, they were tender and delicious!!!
THE CORNMEAL-BLUEBERRY DROP SCONE – w lime zest – adapted from The Noble Pig
Yesterday I was looking for trouble in the kitchen and made these:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup organic, stone-ground cornmeal
4 tblsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
zest of one lime
1 cup frozen blueberries (fresh)
Preheat oven to 450F. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, lime zest and salt with a few pulses. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture is combined and you see only small bits of butter – do not over-pulse. In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, egg and vanilla with a fork. Remove the dry mixture to a wide bowl and make a well in the center. Add the wet ingredients and with a dough-scraper, toss to combine until there is still some dry mixture evident. Add the frozen blueberries (you can just put these into the freezer from the time you begin – you don’t have to totally freeze them). Toss again until the batter is combined. Knead, just a little to get it together and until the dry ingredients are just gone. With a large spoon, drop onto a baking sheet which has been covered with a sheet of parchment paper. You should have about 9 scones. Bake for about 15 minutes or until firm and nicely browned. I like these with just some good sweet butter.
I had two of these for lunch and two for an afternoon snack (- ok, today I’m trying to get back on my “diet”.)
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BEST TOPPING FOR – JUST ABOUT ANYTHING: CITRUS SUGAR
Zest of one orange or lemon (or grapefruit or lime or….), or more to taste
1 cup sugar
Use your fingers to blend the zest into the sugar. This releases the oils into the sugar and enhances it’s impact. I use it to top muffins, cakes, scones – whatever – add some chopped nuts too!
My Dad used to sprinkle lemon juice on his fresh honeydew melon. I remember thinking this was very curious – but now I know why……
Supremes are an amazing addition to a salad or a fish or chicken entree. I particularly like grapefruit and white peaches together with fish. I’m going to work on a recipe for this today.
I have a nice book in my collection called “Lemon Zest”.
And, outside, in the foggy, groggy (what is going on with this weather????)……..Siberian and Bearded Iris:
