March 4, 2015
Citrus season is in full swing. I know many of you are lucky enough to have a bounty in your backyard — our garden is bright with navel oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines and kumquats. If that’s not the case for you, the farmers’ market stalls are overflowing with beautiful and interesting citrus. I’ve spied everything from tiny limequats to goliath pommelos and my favorite seasonal score, ruby red grapefruit.
We don’t have a grapefruit tree, so I never miss an occasion to buy them in these winter months. For me, ruby red grapefruit is like a cheerful kiss on a dreary day. The rosy flesh is sweeter than most types of grapefruit and that mix of lightly bitter and shockingly sweet keeps me craving more.
Fresh ruby red grapefruit juice is my favorite cocktail mixer. Just salt the rim of a double old-fashioned, fill with ice, add gin, vodka or tequila, pour over that juice and you’ve just arrived at cocktail paradise
Look, East Coasters, it really was cold!
Once again, I digress; this is about breakfast not the bar, Valerie! With our tiny cold snap it had me hankering for cozy. I grabbed a ruby red from the bowl of citrus on the counter and decided to broil a batch for breakfast. I wasn’t sure if my girls would be takers, but they gobbled them up and asked for more.
The grapefruit grows even sweeter and mellow in the broiler — add a drizzle of honey, a sprinkling of nuts, a dollop of Greek yogurt and you have my new favorite breakfast. It’s even made the afterschool snack rotation cut. This is sweet, warm, indulgent and satisfying — maybe the California Citrus Board should hire me?
This round was made with oranges with equally delicious results.
Makes two halves (Serves 1-2)
You will need:
1 grapefruit or navel orange
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
2 tablespoons Marcona almonds or blistered almonds, rough chopped
Plain Greek yogurt (my new favorite is the organic one from Straus — thanks for the recommendation Elizabeth!)
Fresh mint (optional)
Set the broiler on high.
Slice the ends off of the grapefruit or navel orange and cut in half. Now your halves will lay flat on the pan.
Using a sharp paring knife, separate the peel from the flesh by going around the perimeter. Now cut out the center membrane of the citrus. This makes it easier to free the flesh for easy eating. Slice into bite size pieces, while keeping it nestled in the peel.
Grab a baking sheet and place your citrus on the pan. Sprinkle each half with 1/2 tablespoon honey or brown sugar and 1 tablespoon chopped almonds.
Broil 6″ from the coils for 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the almonds. Place on a pretty plate and dollop with Greek yogurt and some torn mint leaves, if using. Enjoy!!
