Bright Ideas with Citrus

When I was young, this time of year usually meant a big basket of citrus arriving from Florida, courtesy of my grandparents. For a few weeks, it was fresh orange juice in the morning and grapefruit for breakfast. No fancy dishes with the bounty, just straightforward consumption of the fruit. But a column in the Los Angeles Times this past week pointed out that L.A., at least, is in the middle of citrus season. The author was pushing recipes with passion fruit. I’ll pass on trying to find passion fruit in the local grocery store, but I am interested in the ability to brighten up a few dishes with citrus. I’ve heard comments from several people who say they’re feeling bored with eating these days. So why not add to a little tang and tart to your flavors?

Lemons, limes, oranges

Citrus, like many acids, makes your mouth water, but it also cuts grease and heaviness in a dish, leaving you with a different taste sensibility. Many Southeast Asian dishes finish with a dose of lemon or lime juice just before serving. Citrus is also a good way to balance sweetness, according to cookbook author Samin Nosrat. Roasted vegetables and many other slow-roasted dishes can benefit from a splash of lemon or lime juice, which you can stir in as cooking finishes or at the table. You can set out a plate of colorful slices so people can add juice to taste. And consider being creative with your citrus. Salmon benefits from broiling with a few slices of orange covering the fish as it cooks under the broiler. Thanks to the groves of local fruits in the Mediterranean, you’ll often find that citrus plays a prominent role in regional dishes.

Of course, there’s the good old French Duck a L’Orange, but I’m not in the mood for a Julia Child production. I’ve found a number of recipes that don’t require long forays over the stove or complex preparations that require a lot of time and unusual ingredients. I also picked up some good advice along the way. Besides stuffing that chicken with an orange or a lemon, think about how you might pump up a pork roast with some creative stuffing. Also, use citrus to balance out those soups and other creamy dishes with a squeeze or lemon or lime, as I did with a Thai-inspired chicken meatball soup this past week.

And darling clementines

Also, think variety: not just lemon, but also limes, grapefruit, or some of those clementines or tangerines that you can hardly avoid in supermarkets this time of year. As a matter of fact, clementines, blood oranges, lemons, and limes work well with cheese (especially creamy cheeses such as feta, Chevre, and Parmesan), pairing them in salads or desserts. Lemon and Key lime cheesecakes are classic examples. For a cheese plate, include a few citrus fruit slices along with some toasted almonds. These piquant clementine slices are delicious served alongside cheese, olives, and spicy salami.

Let’s take a look at a few of these ideas from world cuisines. How about potatoes with lemon? I have a great recipe for a duck fat potato galette, but I’m thinking of upping the ante by substituting lemon wedges for the sliced onions between the potato slices. Or how about this recipe for haddock wrapped with lemon mayo and pesto from The Seafood Shack? In the North African area of the Mediterranean, lemon chicken uses preserved lemons for a stew that includes chickpeas, pitted green olives, and spices. And for carnivores, here’s a cinnamon beef stew with orange gremolata, and another orange-flavored pork dish – roast pork loin with witlof (Belgian endive) and orange. I hope you try one of these – or, better yet, come up with your own citrus recipe. And let us know what that might be. Remember, it’s mouth-watering.

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