Culinary News
Citruses You Should Be Using Right Now
Citrus season is upon us and now is the time to find many unique citrus varieties out there. We have put together a list of hard to find varieties that are great for using as an aromatic. Adding lemon, lime, or orange juice and/or the zest is essential for balancing flavors in many dishes. A splash of acidity can go a long way with the fatty braised meats that are on menus right now and also a great addition for those roasted root vegetables and brassicas. One of my favorite citruses right now and one that makes a great garnish are Finger Limes. These are a unique citrus variety that is extremely versatile and you use the pulp, or pearls, or caviar. Here are some of the hard to find citruses that are primarily used for their aromatics and are worth seeking out (click on the picture to see the citruses from left to right):
Consider using other parts of the citrus rather than the juice. With some citruses the best part is the zest and the leaves. The citrus peel can be candied and used in desserts for a garnish or mixed into a batter or custard. Another option is to dry the zest to intensify the flavor and then grind it and sprinkle it on finished dishes as a garnish or mixed into a vinaigrette or aioli. You can also steep most citruses in alcohol or other liquids to infuse it with flavor. Here are some other ingredients that are used for their aromatics and that have a citrus flavor:
- Kaffir Lime Leaf
- Lime Leaf
- Orange Leaf
- Lemon Leaf
- Lemon Balm
- Lemon Verbena
- Lemongrass
- Preserved Lemons
- Finger Limes
If you have braised meats on your menu then consider garnishing with gremolata. Gremolata was designed to cut through the fatty meat and traditionally consists of mostly parsley and some lemon zest and minced garlic. You can mix it up by substituting the zest with one of the citruses listed above as well as substituting the parsley for any other herbs (click to see parsley alternatives). For alternatives for the garlic, try using black garlic, roasted garlic, or garlic confit (click to see garlic alternatives). Oysters on the Half Shell are great topped with Finger Lime pearls. Here are some ideas for dishes with citrus and citrus zest: