Like most people I’m craving a taste of the tropics once mid-January rolls around. Good thing that craving coincides with citrus season! It’s a delicious relief to find a wider selection of ripe oranges, grapefruits, key limes and other zesty delights in the produce aisle.
I’m also a big fan of juicing. Not in the “2 week cleanse” kind of way, more like the “holy cow that’s delicious” and “6 lbs. of trimmings into the compost” kind of way. I like a variety of citrus spiked with fresh ginger and turmeric, maybe some pineapple or a couple of apples to sweeten it up. It takes a lot of fruit to make a glass of juice so in-season citrus is good for the ol' budget.
Between the juicing and the fun, fresh recipes that citrus season brings, things are feeling pretty sunny in the Springline Seafood Kitchen!
If you like a indulge in an adult beverage while you’re cooking, try making a batch of oleo saccharum - it’s easier than it sounds… really all you have to do is take a bunch of those leftover peels from your earlier juicing extravaganza and mix them with some sugar. In a couple of hours the sugar will have pulled the citrus oils out of the peels and left you with a delicious oily concoction delicious in any kind of cocktail you can dream up. Or try this one for Rum Punch.
Now that you’ve got a tasty tumbler of Rum Punch at the ready, let’s get to the point of this post. Citrus and salmon are a match made in heaven!
We all love a bit of fresh lemon juice (and zest) squeezed over a fillet before we pop it in the oven. Sometimes that, and a bit of salt and pepper, is all it takes. Don’t have a lemon? Try a lime, an orange or even a grapefruit. If you’re worried that nature didn’t make the fruit sweet enough, mix the juice with a dab of honey before adding it to your fillet.
Or, try making a citrus-focused vinaigrette. A spinach salad with fresh orange sections topped with grilled salmon and an orange vinaigrette? Sounds great on a dreary day. Here’s a sweet and spicy version to try.
Roasted salmon also pairs nicely with a brown butter citrus sauce. Pop your salmon in the oven. While it’s cooking melt about 4 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan and keep it on medium high heat while it melts and foams up. As the butter starts to brown, lower the heat and keep an eye on it. You want the nutty flavor of a rich brown butter - but don’t let it go to far! Once its a nice deep brown, pull the pan from the heat and add the zest and the juice from an orange (or a lemon). Season with a bit of salt and pour over your salmon. Delicious! If you’re in the mood, toss some capers in that sauce, or try starting with some minced shallots.
How are you enjoying citrus this winter?
I’m also a big fan of juicing. Not in the “2 week cleanse” kind of way, more like the “holy cow that’s delicious” and “6 lbs. of trimmings into the compost” kind of way. I like a variety of citrus spiked with fresh ginger and turmeric, maybe some pineapple or a couple of apples to sweeten it up. It takes a lot of fruit to make a glass of juice so in-season citrus is good for the ol' budget.
Between the juicing and the fun, fresh recipes that citrus season brings, things are feeling pretty sunny in the Springline Seafood Kitchen!
If you like a indulge in an adult beverage while you’re cooking, try making a batch of oleo saccharum - it’s easier than it sounds… really all you have to do is take a bunch of those leftover peels from your earlier juicing extravaganza and mix them with some sugar. In a couple of hours the sugar will have pulled the citrus oils out of the peels and left you with a delicious oily concoction delicious in any kind of cocktail you can dream up. Or try this one for Rum Punch.
Now that you’ve got a tasty tumbler of Rum Punch at the ready, let’s get to the point of this post. Citrus and salmon are a match made in heaven!
We all love a bit of fresh lemon juice (and zest) squeezed over a fillet before we pop it in the oven. Sometimes that, and a bit of salt and pepper, is all it takes. Don’t have a lemon? Try a lime, an orange or even a grapefruit. If you’re worried that nature didn’t make the fruit sweet enough, mix the juice with a dab of honey before adding it to your fillet.
Or, try making a citrus-focused vinaigrette. A spinach salad with fresh orange sections topped with grilled salmon and an orange vinaigrette? Sounds great on a dreary day. Here’s a sweet and spicy version to try.
Roasted salmon also pairs nicely with a brown butter citrus sauce. Pop your salmon in the oven. While it’s cooking melt about 4 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan and keep it on medium high heat while it melts and foams up. As the butter starts to brown, lower the heat and keep an eye on it. You want the nutty flavor of a rich brown butter - but don’t let it go to far! Once its a nice deep brown, pull the pan from the heat and add the zest and the juice from an orange (or a lemon). Season with a bit of salt and pour over your salmon. Delicious! If you’re in the mood, toss some capers in that sauce, or try starting with some minced shallots.
How are you enjoying citrus this winter?