We’re in the winter doldrums. Besides the weather, it feels like we’re hardly doing anything as the gray skies just make me feel unmotivated. To brighten things up, I’ve been trying to enjoy the seasonal citrus we get from warmer parts of the country. Just eating a sweet juicy orange is a treat in itself, and I’ve also been using lemons, oranges, and grapefruit in my cooking. In addition to what’s here, I recently found a recipe for grapefruit and rosemary shortbread, two flavors that are so good together. I’m still thinking about the signature cocktail at Greta and Daniel’s wedding that used both grapefruit and rosemary!

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I’VE GOT SUNSHINE ON A CLOUDY DAY

by Elizabeth Baer

Besides the fact that it’s been really cold here in the Berkshires lately, it’s been quite gray and dismal. I can’t remember so few sunny days as we seem to have had thus far this winter. To brighten things up, it is the season for beautiful, fresh citrus from warmer climes! I fondly remember when my grandparents, who spent part of the winter in Florida, would send us oranges so sweet and juicy that I would cut them in half and eat them like grapefruit!

The way I normally enjoy citrus in these dreary months is in the lunches I take to school. I like to “supreme” grapefruit and oranges by cutting off the peel and cutting out the sections to make a citrus fruit cup. I often save large pieces of the peel in the freezer to zest with a fine grater if I want an extra bit of flavor in what I’m cooking. (I do try to use only organic fruit if I am going to use the zest or the peel in a recipe.)

One of my favorite cocktails combines Campari and grapefruit, and even when it’s cold outside I love this refreshing drink. My husband, however, does not like Campari or Aperol, so, to be honest, if it’s just the two of us, I tend to go the easy route and mix 2-3 tablespoons of Campari with any brand of grapefruit soda, such as Izze or Gus. But if my daughter-in-law is visiting, who loves this as much as I do, I will make the rosemary simple syrup and squeeze Ruby Red grapefruit to bring this cocktail to the next level.

In my quest to bring some zest – both literally and figuratively – to winter vegetable dishes, I like to cook Belgian endive in fresh orange juice. This year, with a box of clementines on the counter, I added some whole sections to sweeten the dish.

My most recent effort with citrus was to amp up lemon pasta, a favorite of mine. Whenever I roast chicken pieces set atop thin slices of lemon, I love the combination of bitter and sweet from the caramelization of the lemon, and thus I wondered if pasta with roasted lemon slices would work as well. We most recently had this as a side with fish, and the lemon, of course, worked perfectly with it. Although I will happily eat the cooked lemon slices, some people are less fond of them, but the lemon flavor comes through whether or not you serve the slices on top.

In this stretch of the year when the dismal, dreary sky seems to persist without end, add a bit of brightness to your table with some citrus and imagine sunny skies ahead.

CAMPARI AND GRAPEFRUIT COCKTAIL

One 8-ounce drink

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
¼ cup fresh squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice, about ¼ to ½ of a grapefruit (blood orange would also be good here!)
2 tablespoons Campari or Aperol
¼ cup seltzer or club soda, plus more as needed

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the rosemary and let steep for at least an hour. Strain out the rosemary and set aside. This will yield more syrup than you need for one drink, but it will keep in the refrigerator.

For an 8-ounce cocktail glass, combine the grapefruit juice, Campari, and 1 tablespoon of the rosemary simple syrup over a few ice cubes. Add the seltzer to top off and stir to combine. This can be doubled if using a highball glass.

Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a sprig of rosemary, if desired.

ORANGE-BRAISED BELGIAN ENDIVES

Serves 2 as a side dish, can be doubled

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or extra virgin olive oil for a vegan adaptation
2 Belgian endives, cut in half lengthwise
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon orange zest (about half an orange), preferably organic
Juice of 1 orange (about ¼ - ⅓ cup)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 clementine, sectioned, or drained canned mandarin sections

DIRECTIONS:

Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Place the endive halves into the pan cut side down and cook for 3-5 minutes until just beginning to color.

Turn the endive over, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add the orange juice. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to cook gently for 5 minutes. Check to make sure there is still enough liquid in the pan. If not add a dash of water. Add the orange zest, thyme, and clementine sections, cover, and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes until the cores of the endive are tender. Serve hot or at room temperature.

ROASTED LEMON PASTA

Serves 2-4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 lemon, preferably organic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon sugar
Pinch fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 ounces pasta, preferably spaghetti or linguini
¾ cup heavy cream, or more as needed
Grated Parmesan
Flat-leaf parsley, chopped, if desired for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Cut 6 thin slices, about ¼ - ½ inch thick, from the center of the lemon, saving the ends for garnish or a spritz of lemon before serving. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Blanch the lemon slices for three minutes. Remove gently from the water and place on paper towel to drain. Remove any seeds that remain stuck in the slices.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Add the olive oil to a medium to large oven-safe sauté pan. Arrange the lemon slices in the oil, and sprinkle each slice with a bit of the salt, sugar, and pepper. Place in the oven to roast for 15 minutes. Turn the slices and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove from the oven and place on a burner next to the pasta pot. BE SURE TO PLACE AN OVEN MITT ON THE HANDLE OF THE SAUTÉ PAN SO YOU DON’T FORGET THAT IT IS HOT! Add the herbs and red pepper flakes and toss gently to flavor the oil.

While the lemon slices are roasting bring a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is about 1 minute from being done, turn the burner on under the sauté pan to medium.

Move the pasta pot as close to the sauté pan as possible, and, using tongs, lift the strands of pasta from the water directly into the pan with the lemon slices. Stir gently to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cream and stir to combine. Different brands of pasta will absorb liquid differently, so if it seems dry, add a bit more cream or some pasta water.

Plate the pasta, adding roasted lemon slices if desired, and serve with Parmesan, parsley, and an extra spritz of lemon.

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Berkshire Eagle Column: Winter Citrus