Break with Winter Fruit Tradition—Go with Unique!
We’re all familiar with oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, pomegranates, apples, and cranberries. They’re common and favorite winter fruits. But why not break with winter fruit tradition and go with unique?
For instance, I’ve always wondered about kumquats, prickly pears, persimmons, and quince. I like to kid around with my hubby and call him my “tender, dimpled kumquat,” but I actually have no idea if a kumquat IS tender OR dimpled. And I sure don’t know what they taste like or what to do with them.
In one of Aunt Annie’s copies of Cook’s Country (the magazine from the favorite TV show, “America’s Test Kitchen”) I found just what I was looking for on these delicious, but uncommon fruit choices.
KUMQUAT is the pygmy of the citrus family—it’s about the size of an olive. The entire fruit, from peel to flesh, is edible. In fact, it’s actually the rind that’s sweet and houses the flavor. The flesh is tart and dry. Kumquats are often candied or pickled. Cook’s Country suggests slicing or halving and seeding them before adding them to desserts or baked goods.
Choose firm kumquats that are bright orange in color; avoid any with a greenish tint. They generally store well at room temperature for up to three days; they can last up to two weeks in the fridge. They’re a good source of fiber, are low in calories, and provide potassium and vitamins A and C.
PRICKLY PEARS are full of crunchy little edible seeds and taste like melon. The fruit is the berry of the prickly pear cactus and is common to the Southwest. If found in grocery stores, they’ve likely had the spines removed. They’re used in making jams and marmalades. The traditional way to eat them is raw—peeled and sliced—with a squeeze of lime.
When ripe, they’ll store up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 12 months in the freezer. Low calorie, fat-free and rich in magnesium (an essential mineral that contributes to the activities of enzymes, promotes healthy heart and kidney function and helps the body produce energy), prickly pear also contains vitamin C, which boosts immunity and provides antioxidant protection against chronic disease. This fruit also contains seventeen amino acids, high fiber content, great levels of vitamin C and bioflavonoids.
Impressive, right? So, here’s a recipe to get us started using this amazing fruit, from the beloved PBS chef, Rick Bayles. I found it in the cookbook, Mexican Kitchen. This deep red, bright tasting sauce will liven up anything you put it on. Try it as a sweet accent to savory dishes, like spicy grilled chicken, top off a dessert of poached pears or ice cream with it, or try it on waffles. It’s been a favorite ever since my first attempt at making it.
2 1/2 pounds (about 16) fresh prickly pears
1/3 cup raw honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon orange liquer (optional)
Directions:
Add Recipe to Cook'n
PERSIMMONS are sweet and creamy and taste like a luscious cross between pumpkin, fresh dates, and plums. YUM! Supermarkets generally carry the acorn-shaped Hachiya and the round Fuyu—both from Asia. The Hachiya must be extremely soft and squishy before you eat it or its tannins will dry out your mouth; the Fuyu can be eaten sliced while firm-tender.
Low in calories and fat, high in vitamin C, and a rich source of dietary fiber, persimmons contain many health benefiting phyto-nutrients as well as an important anti-tumor compound, betulinic acid. They’re loaded with catechins (an anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic that prevents bleeding from small blood vessels).
Fresh permissions contain anti-oxidant compounds like vitamin-A, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin (an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it provides antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions, preventing age-related macular disease in the elderly).
Persimmons will continue to ripen after they've been harvested. With Hachiyas in fact, you may be better off buying them slightly under-ripe and then finishing them at home, to avoid buying fruit that's been badly bruised. There are those who recommend freezing under-ripe Hachiyas in order to make them edible quickly, but the flavor is never quite as good. Store both varieties at room temperature. Refrigerating them will result in chill damage quite quickly.
QUINCE, according to Cook’s Country, was once commonplace in American kitchens. But no more. Yup—never in my 72 years have I ever seen or tasted one. Although fragrant, it’s hard, dry, and astringent when raw. But it’s amazingly delicious when cooked. Peel and poach for tarts or compotes; roast to serve alongside meats; or add a few slices to your next apple pie. Thanks to loads of pectin (a natural thickener) quince is also ideal for jams, jellies, and preserves.
Choose very firm golden-yellow fruits with a sweet, heavy fragrance. Avoid those that are wrinkled or greenish. Keep at room temperature, in a single layer for up to one week, or refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag for up to two months. Keep away from other fruits.
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For instance, I’ve always wondered about kumquats, prickly pears, persimmons, and quince. I like to kid around with my hubby and call him my “tender, dimpled kumquat,” but I actually have no idea if a kumquat IS tender OR dimpled. And I sure don’t know what they taste like or what to do with them.
In one of Aunt Annie’s copies of Cook’s Country (the magazine from the favorite TV show, “America’s Test Kitchen”) I found just what I was looking for on these delicious, but uncommon fruit choices.
KUMQUAT is the pygmy of the citrus family—it’s about the size of an olive. The entire fruit, from peel to flesh, is edible. In fact, it’s actually the rind that’s sweet and houses the flavor. The flesh is tart and dry. Kumquats are often candied or pickled. Cook’s Country suggests slicing or halving and seeding them before adding them to desserts or baked goods.
Choose firm kumquats that are bright orange in color; avoid any with a greenish tint. They generally store well at room temperature for up to three days; they can last up to two weeks in the fridge. They’re a good source of fiber, are low in calories, and provide potassium and vitamins A and C.
PRICKLY PEARS are full of crunchy little edible seeds and taste like melon. The fruit is the berry of the prickly pear cactus and is common to the Southwest. If found in grocery stores, they’ve likely had the spines removed. They’re used in making jams and marmalades. The traditional way to eat them is raw—peeled and sliced—with a squeeze of lime.
When ripe, they’ll store up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 12 months in the freezer. Low calorie, fat-free and rich in magnesium (an essential mineral that contributes to the activities of enzymes, promotes healthy heart and kidney function and helps the body produce energy), prickly pear also contains vitamin C, which boosts immunity and provides antioxidant protection against chronic disease. This fruit also contains seventeen amino acids, high fiber content, great levels of vitamin C and bioflavonoids.
Impressive, right? So, here’s a recipe to get us started using this amazing fruit, from the beloved PBS chef, Rick Bayles. I found it in the cookbook, Mexican Kitchen. This deep red, bright tasting sauce will liven up anything you put it on. Try it as a sweet accent to savory dishes, like spicy grilled chicken, top off a dessert of poached pears or ice cream with it, or try it on waffles. It’s been a favorite ever since my first attempt at making it.
Prickly Pear Sauce
Yield: 3 cups
Serving size: 1
Calories per serving: 320
Ingredients:
Serving size: 1
Calories per serving: 320
2 1/2 pounds (about 16) fresh prickly pears
1/3 cup raw honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon orange liquer (optional)
Directions:
1. Trim both ends of the fruit, then make a 1/2-inch deep cut down the side of each one. If the fruit is ripe, the thick rind will easily peel away from the central core.
2. Coarsely chop the peeled fruit, puree in a food processor or blender, then press through a fine strainer into a bowl. There should be about 3 cups.
3. In a medium-size saucepan, combine 2 cups of the puree with 1/3 cup honey, and simmer rapidly over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1 cup, then let cool.
4. In a small bowl, stir the uncooked puree with the cooked. Taste and season with lime juice, orange liqueur and additional honey if desired.
5. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze.
2. Coarsely chop the peeled fruit, puree in a food processor or blender, then press through a fine strainer into a bowl. There should be about 3 cups.
3. In a medium-size saucepan, combine 2 cups of the puree with 1/3 cup honey, and simmer rapidly over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1 cup, then let cool.
4. In a small bowl, stir the uncooked puree with the cooked. Taste and season with lime juice, orange liqueur and additional honey if desired.
5. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
PERSIMMONS are sweet and creamy and taste like a luscious cross between pumpkin, fresh dates, and plums. YUM! Supermarkets generally carry the acorn-shaped Hachiya and the round Fuyu—both from Asia. The Hachiya must be extremely soft and squishy before you eat it or its tannins will dry out your mouth; the Fuyu can be eaten sliced while firm-tender.
Low in calories and fat, high in vitamin C, and a rich source of dietary fiber, persimmons contain many health benefiting phyto-nutrients as well as an important anti-tumor compound, betulinic acid. They’re loaded with catechins (an anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic that prevents bleeding from small blood vessels).
Fresh permissions contain anti-oxidant compounds like vitamin-A, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin (an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it provides antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions, preventing age-related macular disease in the elderly).
Persimmons will continue to ripen after they've been harvested. With Hachiyas in fact, you may be better off buying them slightly under-ripe and then finishing them at home, to avoid buying fruit that's been badly bruised. There are those who recommend freezing under-ripe Hachiyas in order to make them edible quickly, but the flavor is never quite as good. Store both varieties at room temperature. Refrigerating them will result in chill damage quite quickly.
QUINCE, according to Cook’s Country, was once commonplace in American kitchens. But no more. Yup—never in my 72 years have I ever seen or tasted one. Although fragrant, it’s hard, dry, and astringent when raw. But it’s amazingly delicious when cooked. Peel and poach for tarts or compotes; roast to serve alongside meats; or add a few slices to your next apple pie. Thanks to loads of pectin (a natural thickener) quince is also ideal for jams, jellies, and preserves.
Choose very firm golden-yellow fruits with a sweet, heavy fragrance. Avoid those that are wrinkled or greenish. Keep at room temperature, in a single layer for up to one week, or refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag for up to two months. Keep away from other fruits.
Sources:
- www.chicagohealthonline.com
- www.thespruceeats.com
- www.walmart.com
- www.leelalicious.com
- www.simplyrecipes.com
- www.cuisinevault.com
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
