Our beautiful city has been BLESSED with the ability to grow some amazingly prosperous citrus trees! We see them all over the valley in the first few months of the year, and by late February or early March we see people setting giant boxes of uneaten oranges, lemons and grapefruit being offered up for free to anyone who wants them! Well, today I'm sharing a few recipes for things to do with that uneaten citrus before it literally goes to the birds!
**ALL OF THESE RECIPES ARE INSPIRED/ADAPTED FROM REAL SIMPLE MAGAZINE'S FEBRUARY 2020 ISSUE**
Grapefruit, Avocado and Smoked Salmon Salad
Ingredients:
1 large ruby red grapefruit, sectioned
1 large avocado, peeled, seeded and sliced
4 oz. Alaskan smoked salmon
5 oz. baby spring mix salad greens, roughly chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tbsp. agave nectar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Steps:
Section the grapefruit by cutting off the top and bottom, then slicing next to the inner endocarp (edible fruit section), removing all the white pith around the edges. Next, slice in between the white membrane sections, removing ONLY the edible fruit sections. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Peel, seed and slice the avocados into 1/2 inch slices, set aside.
Roll the salmon slices into 1" rolls, set aside.
Arrange the slices of the avocado, grapefruit and salmon onto a large serving dish around the edges of the plate.
In a separate mixing bowl add the chopped spring mix, pomegranate seeds and pepitas. Toss to combine.
In a separate small bowl, combine the mustard, agave nectar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine and add to the salad mixture. Toss the salad and dressing together until combined.
Place the salad into the center of the serving dish with the salmon, avocado and grapefruit. Garnish with a light dusting of salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Baked Ponzu Orange Chicken
Prep Time: 20 minutes / Cook Time: 25 minutes / Servings: 3
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders, quartered
1 cup almond meal
2 eggs, beaten
1 bag of Boulder Canyon Rice & Bean chips with Adzuki Beans (available at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts)
olive oil cooking spray
For the Sauce:
1 cup Ponzu sauce
1 orange, quartered
1/4 tsp. red chili flake
3 tbsp. Agave Nectar
1 scallion, chopped (white part only)
1 tbsp. corn starch, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
For Garnish:
2 scallions, finely chopped (green end only)
3 orange slices, cut in half
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. red chili flake
Olive oil spray
Steps:
For the Chicken:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a large cookie sheet with olive oil spray.
Set up three stations; 1) a plate or bowl with one cup flour; 2) a plate or bowl with egg mixture and 3) a large, sealable plastic bag.
Empty the bag of chips into the sealable plastic bag and crush them until they're a fine, bread crumb like texture.
Take 2-4 pieces of the quartered chicken tenders and dredge each piece through the flour, and shake off excess.
Next, coat the pieces in the egg and then toss them in the bag of chip crumbs. Close the bag, then shake and squeeze the bag slightly to coat the pieces completely in the crumbs.
Remove the breaded pieces from the bag and place them on the cookie sheet.
Repeat steps until all the chicken pieces are breaded and coated.
Spray both sides of all the pieces with olive oil cooking spray.
Place the chicken in the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, dip in the Orange Ponzu Sauce (recipe below) and serve immediately.
For the Sauce:
In a small saucepan combine Ponzu sauce, red chili flake, Agave nectar and chopped scallion. Squeeze the juice from the four orange quarters into the saucepan and then place the rinds into the saucepan. Stir until combined and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cook 5 minutes and then remove the orange rinds with tongs, squeezing out the remaining juice.
Add corn starch and whisk vigorously until desired thickness is achieved. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.
To Serve:
Twist 1/2 of an orange slice and place on serving dish.
Dip each piece of baked chicken in to the saucepan of hot Orange Ponzu Sauce and quickly remove with a slotted spoon. Place 4-5 pieces of chicken on each plate.
Garnish chicken with chopped scallions, a pinch of orange zest and a pinch of red chili flake.
Divide the remaining sauce up into three small ramekins and place on the plate to serve for dipping.
Meyer Lemon Coconut Dream Bars
Prep Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 45 minutes (plus two hours refrigeration time) / Servings: 12 bars
Ingredients:
For the Crust:
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup salted, roasted macadamia nuts
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
For the Filling:
2 cans sweetened condensed milk (14 oz. cans)
3 large egg yolks
1 tbsp. Meyer lemon zest (plus more for garnish)
1 cup fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice
Steps:
For the Crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 9"x9" square baking dish with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, coconut, macadamia nuts, brown sugar, butter, baking soda and salt in a food processor. Pulse until nuts are crushed and combined. When the mixture begins to clump together, remove about 1 1/2 cups for the topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.
For the Filling:
Whisk the condensed, egg yolk, Meyer lemon zest and lemon juice in a medium bowl until smooth.
Pour the mixture over the cooled crust.
Sprinkle with the reserved crust mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, until the filling is just set (still jiggly) and the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the mixture to cool completely. Refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving. Makes 12 bars.