Candied Grapefruit Peel

There's still time to make some delicious holiday gifts from your kitchen.  Candied grapefruit peel takes only about an hour plus drying time. 

One of the things I like best about candied citrus peel is using a part of the fruit that's often discarded.  Grapefruits are now in season, so you can cook up a batch or two or more of this tasty treat for yourself, your family, and your friends.  Don't worry about making too much.  You can chop up candied peel and put it in cookies and cakes.  A little bit adds spark to a green salad.  Try mixing some into hot cereal at breakfast.  And it freezes nicely wrapped tightly in a freezer bag, so you can bring it out in the summer when fresh, local grapefruits are just a memory.

2 grapefruits
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C water
1 C superfine sugar (optional)

To prepare the fruit:  Cut the grapefruit lengthwise into quarters.  Keeping the peel intact, remove the fruit, leaving the pith on the peel.  Set aside the fruit for another use.  Cut the peel lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips.

Put the peel in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water.  Bring slowly to a boil over moderate heat.  Boil for 1 minute, then drain.  Repeat 3-4 times.

To candy the peel:
1.  In a medium saucepan, bring the 1 C granulated sugar and 1/2 C water to a boil.  Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.

2.  Add the prepared peel and gently boil, stirring, until most of the sugar syrup is absorbed.  This will take about 10 minutes.

3.  Remove the peel slices and place them on a wire rack set over a sheet of foil or a baking pan.  [The peel will drip sugar syrup.]  Separate the pieces so they don't stick together.  Allow the peel to dry until only slightlky sticky, about 4 to 8 hours.

4.  If desired, place 1 C superfine sugar in a plastic bag or container with a lid.  Toss a few slices at a time to coat with sugar.

If you don't have superfine sugar, you can make your own by putting regular granulated sugar in a food processor and processing for 20-30 seconds.

Today's bounty included:

From County Line Harvest South:  Collard greens,  chard, green bor kale, purple scallions, baby red beets, red bor kale;

From Jimenez Family Farm:  Winter squash, leeks, cabbage, carrots, romaine, lettuce, space spinach, cilantro, and russet potatoes;

From K and K Ranch:  Oro Blanco grapefruit, persimmons, and Pink Lady apples;

From Silver Lake Farms:  Sage and microgreens.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

collard greens

Here's what Farmer John had for us in Silver Lake this week:

Avocados
Golden Beets
Radishes
Negi green onions
Green chard
Russian kale
Collard greens
Tat soi
Red romaine
Arugula
Squash blossoms with baby zucchini
Lemons
Limes
Grapefruit
Sage, thyme, and oregano

Avocados love citrus. How lucky for us to get both this week!

Chatting with shareholder, Pam, she reminded me of a wonderful salad that makes a great side or main dish and uses several items from our haul today.

Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

1 grapefruit
1 ripe avocado
1 medium bunch red romaine leaves
1 C (or more) arugula leaves, loosely packed
1/2 C sliced sweet onion, such as Vidalia, or fennel
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1-2 T rice vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
toasted hazelnuts (optional)

1. Peel the grapefruit, leaving it whole, and cut out sections of grapefruit flesh in between the membranes (supremes) or pull the grapefruit sections apart and peel away the membranes, if desired. Set aside. Compost the peels and membranes.

2. Using an avocado that's ripe but not mushy, halve the avocado lengthwise. Remove the pit. Gently slice the avocado flesh lengthwise, being careful not to cut through the avocado peel. Scoop out the slices with a spoon. Compost the peel.

3. Wash the romaine and arugula leaves well in a basin of cold water. Spin or towel dry. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large salad bowl.

4. Add the onions or fennel, your best olive oil, the rice vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and toss until all the leaves are coated with the dressing. You can add the toasted hazelnuts here, if you're using them.

5. Add the grapefruit sections and avocado slices and toss gently. Serve.

This recipe makes 4 side salad servings. If you prefer oranges to grapefruit, this salad is just as delicious with fresh, ripe orange. Substitute 2 oranges for 1 grapefruit.

Omnivores can turn this salad into a delicious main course by adding shrimp. I like to marinate and grill my shrimp, so I start with raw shrimp. Peel the shrimp. Make a marinade of fresh-squeezed orange juice, rice vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh tarragon. Pour over the shrimp and marinate for 1-2 hours (or overnight), then cook the shrimp on a grill (on skewers or in a grill pan), or sear them in a hot cast iron skillet on the stove top. Let them cool a moment then toss them into the salad with the grapefruit and avocado, or arrange them attractively on top of the salad.

Enjoy!

Shelley