fruits & berries

Krazy for Kumquats

February 21, 2008

Kumquats are in grocery stores right now. Originating in China and called “little gold gems of the citrus family – they have a unique flavor, sweet skin, and tart pulp - the opposite of an orange. Don’t try to peel them. Straight from the bowl, the kumquat tastes best if it is gently rolled between your fingers before eating. This releases essential oils in the rind.

Some ideas: Slice into thin rounds and toss into salads. Mince a couple and mash into a knob of softened butter for use on toast, muffins, pancakes, or scones. Or, add a bit of fresh-squeezed orange juice, chopped fresh thyme, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the kumquat butter and spread on fish before roasting. Roast them whole, for the last 30 minutes of cooking meats such as poultry, duck, pork, or lamb. Chop a few and sprinkle over dark chocolate ice cream. Top with a few toasted pecans and a drizzle of Grand Marnier, Voila! Simmer whole in simple syrup until just tender, cool, and serve with cheese at a meal’s end. And, last but not least, squeeze or muddle a couple of halved kumquats into a mojito for a delicious pre-dinner drink.

Shopping tip: Most of the fruits we see in the U.S. are nagami kumquats, the oval variety. California kumquats are grown from January through June and are at their peak during March and April. Kumquats from Florida, where the growing season begins in November, are harvested until Mid-March. They will stay fresh in the fridge for about two weeks.

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Ficchi Caramellati (Caramelized Figs)

October 18, 2007

Serves 6-8

2 lbs. ripe figs, washed
Lemon zest strips, 1-inch long and 1/4-inch wide (pith removed)
2 c. sugar
Rum, as needed (optional)
Vanilla Bean

Place whole figs in a deep, wide saucepan. Cut a small slit at the top of each fruit and insert a lemon zest strip into each slit. Sprinkle sugar over figs. Add water, or part water/part rum, to a depth of 1/4-inch in the pan. Place a vanilla bean in the center of the pan.

Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until sugar caramelizes, 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.

Note: Pears can be prepared the same way: peel, halve, and core, then poach in

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Lemon, Vodka-Martini Granita

October 18, 2007

(adapted from River Cafe Two Easy, by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray).

Serves 6

8 lemons, washed
8 ice cubes
14 oz. vodka
Simple syrup (1/3 c. water and 1/2 cup sugar boiled until dissolved

Make simple syrup first. Cool.

Grate zest from 6 of the lemons. Squeeze juice from all 8. You should have about 2 cups of juice. Mix together lemon juice with zest, and leave for 30 minutes.

Smash the ice up roughly. Add vodka and 1/2 cup of simple syrup and lemon mixture. Add crushed ice and freeze in a metal baking pan until solid, going into the freezer a few times to scrape the mix around with a fork.

To Serve:
Use a fork to scrape up the granita into Martini glasses.

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Pears in Pinot Noir

October 18, 2007

This is a gorgeous still life taken by Flickr photographer Espion.

Serves 6

6 ripe pears, washed
3 c. pinot noir
2 lemons, washed
6 Tbls. sugar

Quarter pears and core. Zest large strips of lemon peel, pith removed. Cut peel into smaller pieces.

Cut pears into 1/4″ thick slices. Put in a large bowl, sprinkle with sugar, cover with wine, and add lemon peel. Cover and leave to marinate for an hour in the refrigerator.

Serve in wine glasses.

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Balsamic Strawberries with Whipped Mascarpone Cream

October 18, 2007

These flavors marry beautifully.

Serves 6

1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. sugar plus 2 Tbls. plus
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. mascarpone cheese
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 pts. strawberries, hulled and halved

Combine vinegar, 2 tsp. sugar, and lemon juice in heavy-bottomed small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil until syrup reduces to about 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, cool completely. (This sauce can be made two days in advance. Cover and refrigerate).

Combine mascarpone, cream, vanilla, and 2 Tbls. sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk until thick, soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

Combine berries and remaining 2 Tbls. sugar in large bowl. Drizzle with balsamic syrup and toss to blend. Let stand 30 minutes for flavors to macerate, stirring once or twice to combine.

To serve:
Divide among 6 goblets or glass bowls. Top with mascarpone cream.

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Fresh Orange Slices with Ginger-Yogurt Topping

September 18, 2007

Serves 6

6 juicy oranges, peeled (pith removed) and left whole
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Roasted cumin seeds, ground (see recipe below)
Lg. pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 c. plain yogurt, preferably Greek
1 1/2 tsp. peeled and very finely grated fresh ginger
6 tsp. sugar or honey

Slice each orange crosswise, into 5-6 slices. Cut each slice in half. Sprinkle one side of each slice very lightly with salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne. Arrange the slices on a platter (or on 6 individual serving plates) in a slightly overlapping pattern. Cover and refrigerate.

Place yogurt in a medium bowl and whip lightly with a fork, until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Add ginger, sugar or honey, and a light sprinkling again of salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne. Stir to mix. Just before serving, dollop generous amounts of this topping over the slices.

To Roast Cumin Seeds:
Place a small cast-iron pan over a medium heat. Put cumin seeds in hot pan and continue to toss until they turn several shades darker and you can can smell their luscious aroma. Let them cool before grinding them in a spice or coffee grinder. Store in a jar with a tight fitting lid.

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Banana Freeze

September 7, 2007

It began as a treat to help cope with a tummy bug and a very limited diet; it ended up (with its two extra ingredients) as a delicious, healthy snack or dessert.

1 frozen banana
1 heaping tsp. peanut butter (we prefer creamy all-natural)
1 slight Tbls. chocolate chips

Place chunks of frozen banana in a food processor, pulse until the bananas begin to “cream” (as in sorbet). Add peanut butter and chocolate chips. Pulse until all ingredients are well-combined into the desired consistency. Serve in a bowl.

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Indonesian Chicken with Grilled Bananas

September 6, 2007

(adapted from Canyon Ranch Cooking: Bringing the Spa Home by Jeanne Jones)

For a weekday meal, serve this chicken with brown or white rice and a quick stir-fried vegetable (we like spinach or watercress).

Dry Mix:
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (omit if serving kids)
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground curry powder
1 tsp. ground paprika
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

6 skinless chicken breast halves
4 bananas, skin on
2 Tbl. brown sugar

Combine all dry mix ingredients in a bowl. Stir and lightly coat each chicken breast with the mix. Place on a plate, cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Grill the chicken breasts until done. Let stand while you grill the bananas. Slice the bananas into halves lengthwise with the peel left on. Sprinkle with brown sugar, rubbing it in with the back of a spoon as much as possible. Place them on the grill cut side down and cook for about 3-5 minutes, until soft.

Serve the chicken and bananas together with the bananas still in their peel.

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Is a Banana a Banana? That is the Question

September 6, 2007

Bananas are the most popular fruit sold in the U.S. So, the next time you buy a bunch, look at the little sticker – it’s not just a brand. It tells you how they were grown and tells a story about why you may want to pay a little more per pound:

- Fair Trade certified bananas help support banana farmers. In some regions banana farmers earn just $3 per day and work under harsh conditions. Fair Trade certification standards set environmental guidelines that restrict the use of chemicals and pesticides, prohibit genetically modified food, and guarantee that farmers receive a fair price for their labor. You may see this label on other tropical foods such as mangoes, pineapples, grapes, coffee, and tea. Most Fair Trade products are also organic.

- Organic bananas are produced on a farm without pesticides and under closely regulated farming conditions.

- Conventional bananas, the least expensive choice, are most likely imported from a farm where pesticides are used and the farmers do not earn a “living” wage. They may work under harsh conditions, and have no power to set a price for their product. But, on a positive note, the Environmental Working Group,a nonprofit environmental research organization, ranks bananas as one of the top 10 LEAST pesticide-contaminated foods.

KNOW YOUR SOURCE: Fair Trade bananas can be found at health food stores, food cooperatives, and through this list of Fair Trade retailers. Whole Foods Market offers EARTH conventional bananas, which come from their own private banana plantation designed to educate and lead the industry in responsible growing methods.

TIP: Freeze ripened bananas, peel and all, in a large Ziploc bag. When ready to use, simply cut the banana into several large chunks. Halve each piece. Peel browned skin off.

Recipes:
Banana Freeze – A great afternoon snack
Indonesian Chicken with Grilled Bananas — Easy weekday meal

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Flavors at Their Peak

August 6, 2007

They are summer’s superstars – slurpy ripe peaches and juicy flavorful tomatoes. Try them together and you may just find your new favorite summer salad.

Recipe: Peach, Tomato, and Beet Salad

Serves 6

Roast one bunch (approximately 4 medium) beets in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until they are tender. Meanwhile, (as the beets are roasting) slice into wedges 3 large ripe tomatoes and 3 ripe peaches (cut peach wedges thinner than the tomatoes). Place in a large mixing bowl. When beets are cool enough to handle, slip their skins off under cool running water, halve them, slice them, and add them to the bowl. Drizzle with a generous amount of good olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss and transfer to a large serving bowl or platter. Served at room temperature, this dish compliments most any summer dinner. Note: This salad can easily be made without the addition of beets, but the texture and flavor is compimented by their addition.

Tomato Tips: Look for specialty or heirloom tomatoes. Ripen upside down at room temperature, not in direct sunlight. Tomatoes should not be refrigerated, as they lose flavor when chilled. A serrated knife is best for cutting.