Zest for life

When life gives you citrus, think of all the million delicious things you can do with it besides making lemonade, urge chefs

A burst of citrus is all that’s needed to lift your mood. For centuries, chefs and perfumers have been utilising the fresh and intense fragrance to come up with diverse food profiles and perfumes. In the culinary world, besides popular choices like orange and lemon, you’ll find emerging flavours on gourmet store shelves, such as yuzu, meyer lemon and satsuma. These lend a zesty, peely, juicy and pithy note to a dish and instantly uplift the flavour. They are also a precious resource of phytochemicals like Vitamin C, Vitamin B, potassium and phosphorous.

A recent report by Kerry Group plc, a public food company headquartered in Ireland, states that while citrus has always been a popular flavour, the pandemic has given it a boost given its ability to help build immunity. The report also states that blood oranges and grapefruit are poised to become more mainstream due to the interest in wellness, and it is little wonder why we are seeing their availability in stores now. 

Freny Fernandes

Depending on the acidity of the particular citrus fruit, the possibilities for pairings are endless. Freny Fernandes, founder and chef at Bandra’s Moner Bistro and Dessert Bar, says, “Oranges and lemons are known to pair well with fish, chicken or duck. In pastries, citrus fruits go well with chocolate, meringue and vanilla. Fruits like kaffir lime and limes and lemons that are slightly floral pair well with mango, apple, and berries. Finger lime is another great citrus that adds a pop of acidity to any dish and looks like caviar. Candied citrus peels offer a hint of bitterness and sourness to any dish.” Juliano Rodrigues, chef and general manager, Out of The Blue, believes orange with feta makes for a robust rocket salad. “Another great combo is that of lemon caper butter sauce with grilled fish and slow roast chicken stuffed with pickled lemon and chickpeas.”

Citrus fruits last longer if stored in water in a refrigerator, say experts. When picking citrus fruits, Rodrigues suggests you look for blemish and wrinkle-free rinds, something that has a fine texture as compared to a dimpled one. “Also, the heavier the fruit, the more juicer it tends to be. Choose the ones with a strong, sweet smell,” he says. According to chef Sameer Khot, when planning your food pairings, focus on smell, taste and touch and that will help you for best results. Touch includes texture and temperature of the dish you plan to serve.

He also adds that while using any form of strong citrus, ensure you use a little bit at a time to avoid making the dish overwhelmingly “citrusy”.  “It’s important to balance the flavours and still taste the citrus without it being too sour.” Citrus, especially lemon, plays important role in several cuisines across India in toning down the spice level in dishes. Rodrigues tells us, “Citrus is also ideal for marination of meats as it’s a great tenderiser. Lime or lemon are key ingredients in emulsified sauce like mayonnaise and hollandaise. It also acts as a preservative in jam, jellies, pickles and salad dressings.”

In the kitchen of Grand Hyatt, Santa Cruz East, besides lemons and oranges, chefs regularly use pomelo and tangerine to make panna cotta and quiche. From the sweet pomelo and basil panna cotta and tangerine creme brûlée to savoury prawns pomelo quiche with parmesan and roasted chicken pie with tangerine, the options are plenty. Yuzu, kumquat and Italian lime—when in season —are a preferred choice as well. According to Khot, Yuzu from Japan has beautiful flower blossom notes that provide greater complexity to a dish. “It makes for an interesting substitute for orange blossom water and it pairs splendidly with black sesame.” His favourite is the  yuzu and black sesame tart. Kumquat with its orange acidic pulp, and a skin full of fibre is ideal for pairing with chocolate, vanilla, cranberry, mint and for making sorbet, ice cream, jello, and creme brûlée, he adds. The Italian lime with its slight bitter taste also complements guava, jackfruit, basil, and lychee.

Khot says you should save the zest, dry the peels and dehydrate sliced citrus to add to compotes—for that perfect citrusy tang. “From experience, I can tell you not to use citrus with bare hands as it can damage your skin. Also, never add direct citrus to any dairy products as it will get curdled. The key is minimum—do not overdo the citrus flavour in any food. It will leave a bitter taste.”

Tangerine Creme Brule by Chef Sameer Khot

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
6 medium tangerines (finely grated zest)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup  tangerine juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Salt

Method
Preheat oven. Place ramekins in a tall ovenproof dish. Add hot water to about three-quarters up sides of ramekins. In a saucepan, combine cream and tangerine zest and warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk together eggs and egg yolks. Add in 1/2 cup brown sugar and tangerine juice. Pour egg mixture into cream, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and vanilla extract. Strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve. Divide custard evenly among ramekins about three-quarters full. Bake until they are just set. Remove from water bath and allow to cool. Refrigerate, covered. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and pass a kitchen torch until sugar caramelises.

Citrus salad by Chef Freny

Ingredients
100 gm romaine lettuce  
50 gm iceberg lettuce
1/2 pomelo (cut into small bite-sized pieces) 
1 grapefruit (cut into small bite-sized pieces) 
50 gm feta
One pinch sumac
Ingredients for dressing 
2 tbsp grapefruit juice 
Zest of one kaffir lime 
1 tsp dijon mustard 
1 tbsp honey 
1/4th cup olive oil 
Salt to taste 

Method
Mix both the lettuce together and put it on a plate. Add the cut citrus fruits on top. Top it up with crumbled feta. Sprinkle the sumac. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl until homogenous and drizzle on the salad.

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