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Citrus Season: Pairing Herbs and Citrus for Tangy Good Flavor

Regardless of all the talk about seasonality and sustainability, very few chefs and home cooks could do without citrus year round. Today, citrus is available all year long in our grocery and specialty stores. The produce world has gone to great lengths to produce these long lasting, juicy, and well-traveling fruits. However, as winter arrives my cravings remind me of some great citrus fruits that are only available seasonally. As I see the first Satsumas, pummellos, blood oranges or Meyer lemons of the season, I am reminded that winter is citrus season. Citrus and herbs have an amazing way of bringing out the complimentary flavors in each other. Whether we are in Spain with the famous Seville oranges, in Greece with the luscious Clementines, in Florida with a juicy Navel orange or in Texas with the giant Ruby Red grapefruits, winter is the time for citrus perfection all over the world. Herbs are found in citrus recipes worldwide. It is with great pleasure that I invite seasonal citruses into my winter. I would like to share this passion and the techniques and ideas for using fresh herbs with citrus to create brilliant decadent dishes and drinks that will lead you to crave citrus season every winter regardless of its year round availability.

Lemons

Lemons are the most widely used of all the citrus fruits, and this tart fruit is an essential ingredient in almost every type of dish and almost every type of cooking. Lemons are extremely unique because their versatility lends them to being used in almost any type of recipe. Lemons are kind of like “the other salt” because they draw moisture and flavor from ingredients like no other citrus fruit. Used in savory, sweet, salty and meaty dishes lemons and herbs are an amazing combination throughout the year.

Lemon Mint Rice:
Saute the zest of one lemon, one bunch of chopped green onions and two tablespoons of chopped fresh mint in a pan with olive oil for a few minutes. Add one cup of jasmine rice and sauté for another few minutes. Add the juice of one lemon, mix 1 ¾ cup of water, bring the water to a boil and cover and simmer for about thirty minutes or until the water is all absorbed by the rice. Fluff and serve with chicken, fish, or vegetables.

Meyer Lemons

Thought to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin, the Meyer lemon originated in China. This sweeter, juicier version of the lemon is usually found in specialty concoctions like deserts, drinks and candies. The perfuming fragrance of this fruit evokes something special and quite decadent. Meyer lemons can also be quite amazing in savory dishes where the acidity needs to be more subtle.

Meyer Lemon Chicken Salad Croissants:
Mix ½ cup crème fraiche and the juice and zest of one Meyer lemon together with ¼ cup of chopped parsley, chives and basil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper with one cup of roasted chicken cubed or shredded. Mix well and serve over warm croissants.

Oranges

Oranges are the sweetest, most simple snack and yet the greatest secret weapon in the kitchen for both sweet and savory dishes. The Navel orange is a meatier herb while the Valencia is the juicier herb. Both types of oranges can be used as needed due to their juice and pulp. A salad dressing made with a Navel orange will have a pulpier consistency and thus the decision of whether to use the Navel or Valencia can be made accordingly.

Orange Beet Salad with Orange Tarragon Crème Fraiche:
Roast three to four medium sized peeled beets with the juice of an orange, salt, pepper and olive oil. Thinly slice the beets and place them flat on a serving plate. Mix the juice and zest of another orange with ½ cup of crème fraiche and ¼ cup of chopped fresh tarragon, salt and pepper. Drizzle over beets and serve.

Blood Oranges

Blood oranges have a very short season in late winter. If you blink, you can miss this gem of the citrus group. With an almost sweet yet spicy, savory flavor, these blood red colored fruits can be used for an array of savory dishes. They can be amazing in desserts and drinks as well.

Blood Orange Thyme Margarita (Makes four margaritas)-
Mix 6-8 oz tequila, 2 oz orange liquor (Triple Sec or any higher end brand is fine), the juice of two Blood oranges, the juice of two limes, one tablespoon of thyme leaves, and a pinch of salt in a shaker. Shake well and strain into lowball glasses that have been rimmed with a combination of salt and fresh thyme over shaved or crushed ice and garnish with a slice of blood orange.

Kumquats

The kumquat is the bizarre fruit of the citrus world. Its skin is sweet and sultry, but it has a bitter, tangy inside. Kumquats can be candied or cooked but are most often enjoyed with some sort of sweetness added to them. In savory dishes they are often enjoyed accompanying fattier foods like pork, duck and goose. Candied is a terrific way to enjoy them as well. Alongside herbs we tend to enjoy kumquats as either sweet or savory.

Kumquat Cilantro Chicken-
Sauté two chopped chicken breasts, one medium yellow onion, one cup of chopped kumquats and ¼ cup of cilantro with two tablespoons of curry powder. After sautéing, add ½ cup of chicken stock and cook until all ingredients are done. Mix in ½ cup of plain yogurt and mix well.

Limes

Limes are usually available year round but we tend to get better quality and flavor in the winter time. This tangy and very versatile citrus fruit is often used to add acidity to ingredients. Limes can also bring freshness and vibrancy to a dish in a way that makes it unique compared to other citrus fruits. Limes can brighten almost any ethnic flavor and they are commonly used throughout the world. We have seen limes predominantly in fish dishes and in Asian and Thai cuisines. However, with the flow of information and ideas throughout this planet we are seeing limes used in everything from meats to milk deserts. Cooking is one crazy adventure after another when you use limes!

Mango Salsa-
Chop one semi-ripe mango into small cubes and put it in a medium mixing bowl. Add half of a red onion chopped fine, half of a medium red bell pepper chopped fine, a ½ cup of cherry tomatoes (optional), a ½ cup of chopped cilantro, the juice and zest of two to three limes, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and one chopped jalapeno for heat. Mix together gently and serve over fish or meat.

Grapefruit

With its bittersweet taste and the fact that it grows in grape-like clusters (hence it’s name), the grapefruit is as impressive in the kitchen as any of the other citrus fruits. Grapefruits are white, pink, or red in color. Red grapefruits are also known as Ruby Red grapefruits. All three are similar in taste and generally the sweetness differs based on the growing area and the temperature but not on the color. All of them generally have a bittersweet taste, and all of them are either liked or disliked. Grapefruit is a taste that not everyone enjoys, but there are certainly ways in which you can create amazing dishes by using the bittersweet taste to compliment other items. Grapefruits are also wonderful when combined with other citrus flavors. The fruit’s bitterness makes a perfect accompaniment for some of the other sweeter citrus fruits, so try using it in a citrus medley for sweeter results.

Grapefruit Tarragon Sorbet-
2 cups of grapefruit juice preferably red or ruby for best color, juice and zest of 2 limes, 3/4 cup tarragon syrup (see hot herb trend section for recipe) and ¼ c chopped tarragon. Mix together all ingredients and freeze in an ice cream maker.

Tangerines, Clementines, Mandarins and Satsumas

Tangerines, Clementines, Mandarins and Satsumas are the most common winter citrus fruits that are eaten raw. Some years these little treats can taste like candy because their sweetness and delicate texture is almost perfect. These fruits make wonderful juice and they tend to be easy to peel, especially the Satsuma. They are all very sweet and they need to be used wisely in the kitchen because their sweetness can be extremely potent and thus may not blend well with all favors. These citrus fruits are perfect little dessert oranges and are also spectacular in savory dishes as long as you exercise a little bit of caution.

Rocolla Mandarin Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette-
In a large bowl mix three cups of washed rocolla (or arugula), one medium fennel bulb sliced thin, two peeled and segmented Satsumas and ¼ cup of pomegranate seeds. In a separate small bowl mix the juice and zest of two lemons, ¼ cup of fresh pomegranate juice, ¼ cup of olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix together with salad.

Citrus ideas:
Citrus Herb Salsa-Mix various citrus segments with onions, basil, parsley and chives. Add citrus juice, salt and pepper. Serve over fish or chicken.
Herb Citrus Cornish Game Hens-Bake Cornish game hens with a citrus and basil glaze.
Citrus Pesto-In your basic pesto recipe (see recipe section of Ger-Nis Web site) add a mixture of citrus fruits.
Citrus Herb Marmalade-Use grapefruit, lemons, limes, tangerines, kumquats and the herbs of your choice to make a sweet or savory marmalade.

Citrus tips:
Do not forget to use the zest
To extract citrus juice, roll the fruit around on a flat surface and press down hard before you juice.

Citrus fact:
Did you know that the color of the outside of a citrus fruit is determined by how cold it gets? That is why there are green oranges and grapefruits in some parts of the world.

To extract the maximum juice either roll citrus fruit around on a flat work surface, pressing down firmly with the palm of your hand (particularly useful for limes, which can be hard to squeeze), or warm through gently by dropping into a pan of hot water, popping into the microwave for a few seconds, or even placing in a warm oven for a minute or two. Once squeezed, fresh citrus juice should be used the same day to reap its lively benefits.

A fact in regards to the skin color of citurs that many people do not know is that the green skin on lemons and grapefruits is that they need cold weather in order to develop the colored pigment