Food

Winter Fruits

January 4, 2013

The bright flavors of winter fruits add sweetness to meats and marinades, enliven salads and vegetable dishes, and add tang to desserts.

Persimmon Pudding — Eva Powell, a former elementary-school librarian in Mitchell, Indiana, has won the town's pudding contest five times with her recipe for persimmon pudding with a crispy, cake-like crust.Helen Rosner

In Sicily, this salad is traditionally prepared with wild chicory, a slightly peppery, tender-leafed green. Substitute with arugula if you can't find wild chicory. See the recipe for Sicilian Fennel Salad with Oranges, Arugula, and Black Olives »M. Ferruccio Carassale

While visiting New York City's Gramercy Tavern, pastry chef Claudia Fleming garnished this dessert with the cinnamon stick and star anise used to poach the oranges; she also drizzles the plate with a bit of creme fraiche. See the Confit of Oranges filled with Orange Sorbet recipe »Christopher Hirsheimer

See the RecipeChristopher Hirsheimer

See the RecipeJoyce Ravid

See the RecipeMaura McEvoy

See the RecipeDavid Sawyer

A Majorcan specialty, this sweet and tart pomegranate sauce is particularly suited to quail. See the recipe for Quail in Pomegranate Sauce »Maura McEvoy

See the RecipeChristopher Hirsheimer

Roast Chicken with Saffron and Lemon — Roast chicken is a classic dish all over the world. In this beautiful version from Spain, the bird is rubbed with musky, floral saffron and stuffed with bright lemons and fresh rosemary before being popped in the oven.Andre Baranowski

See the RecipeBen Fink

See the RecipeBen Fink

Fragrant orange flower water, called zhaar in Morocco and made from the blossoms of bergamot orange trees, perfumes this delicate salad, in which sweet citrus is offset by spicy radish. See the recipe for Orange and Radish Salad »Christopher Hirsheimer

Meyer Lemon and Garlic Dressing
One important component of the Passover seder is the eating of maror, or bitter herbs, as a way of remembering the bitterness of slavery. Pieces of horseradish or bitter-tasting romaine lettuce are eaten at prescribed moments in the seder, but this tradition can also be carried on through the meal in the form of a salad of romaine dressed with this bright, sour dressing. See this RecipeLandon Nordeman

Chunks of lemon and cracked coriander seeds lend a bright flavor to these earthy olives. See the recipe for Lemon and Coriander Marinated Olives »André Baranowski

Salmon Glazed with Rosemary- and Lemon-Infused Honey — Rosemary-infused honey gives this dish a sweet and aromatic flavor.Maxime Iattoni

Lemon Risotto — Complement this dish's intense lemon flavors with a hefeweizen served with a lemon wedge.Ben Fink

In this straightforward white wine braise, chicken legs are brightened with tart kumquat and salty olives. Try serving it over couscous. See the Recipe for Braised Chicken with Kumquats and Green Olives»Sarah Karnasiewicz

The Best Damn Meyer Lemon Cake — Lemon extract, juice, and zest permeate a rich and moist loaf to create what really is is the best damn lemon cake we've ever had.André Baranowski

See the RecipeAndré Baranowski

This citrus-spiked sheet cake is a Texas potluck favorite. **See the Recipe for Grapefruit Cake »**André Baranowski

See the RecipeAndré Baranowski

Lemon Curd — This thick, tangy spread is great spooned on toast and as a filling for tarts and cakes.André Baranowski

Lemon and Rosemary Chicken (Pollo Arrosto) — Garlic, lemon, and rosemary enhance simple, juicy roast chicken.André Baranowski

Orange-Scented Olive Oil Cake — A heady mixture of olive oil and preserved oranges flavors this moist, dense Sicilian dessert.André Baranowski

See the RecipeAndré Baranowski

GREECE Thessaloniki chef Aglaia Patronaki showed us how to make this delicious, herb-strewn, skillet-braised chicken dish. See the recipe for Kotopoulo me Dendrolivano »Todd Coleman

Chopped phyllo dough gives this orange-scented custard cake from Crete its layered texture. See the recipe for Orange Cake (Portokalopita) » Penny De Los Santos

Mojo-Marinated Pork Shoulder Roast (Pernil Asado Con Mojo) — Pork shoulder is soaked overnight in a citrusy mojo marinade in this Cuban recipe.Todd Coleman

This revelatory dessert of pomegranate seeds and nuts is adapted from a recipe that appears in the now out-of-print cookbook Seductive Flavours of the Levant. See the recipe for Pomegranate with Nuts and Orange Flower Syrup (Khosaf al-Rumman) »Eric Bielsky

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono) — Even though this soup is usually served at Christmas dinner in Greek households, the lemon flavor makes it great year-round.Maxime Iattoni

Beet Ice Cream with Mascarpone, Orange Zest, and Poppy Seeds — Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, OH has some of the most amazing flavors around. In this recipe, the addition of roasted beets and poppy seeds lends the end product a festive hue and a bit of crunch. ‪Todd Coleman

Lemon Icebox Pie — This creamy lemon pie with homemade candied lemon peel is a delicious frozen treat.Anna Stockwell

See the RecipeTodd Coleman

Fermented Beets with Orange and Ginger — This recipe is inspired by rosl, a Jewish specialty from the Ukraine that calls for pickling beets in brine.Todd Coleman

Honey makes for a more flavorful glaze for carrots than sugar does. In this dish, orange zest keeps the sweetness from becoming cloying. See the recipe for Orange and Honey-Glazed Carrots »Todd Coleman

Raw Kale Salad with Lemon, Pecorino, and Currants — In this simple, elegant salad, the spicy flavor of thinly sliced raw kale is offset by creamy Pecorino cheese, bright lemon, and sweet-tart dried currants.Helen Rosner

Pomegranate Margarita — This richly flavored pomegranate margarita is just as good sipped on a cold day in front of a roaring fire as it is on a balmy afternoon spent on a tropical beach.Mackenzie Smith

Sweet Orange Buns — Home cook Linda Worsley gave us the recipe for these luscious buns filled with fragrant orange-flavored butter.Todd Coleman

Vanilla-Scented Quince and Pear Pie — This sweet, tart fruit pie is a beautiful showcase for the flavors of fall and winter. It's great on a holiday table, and is at its best when served alongside a plate of cheese: the rich quince flavor balances beautifully with a wedge of funky, crumbly blue beside it on the plate.Helen Rosner

See the RecipeAnna Stockwell

Pomegranate Meringue Rose Tart — This Middle-Eastern-influenced tart heaps white chocolate-orange ganache accented with rose water into a pistachio shortbread crust. Pomegranate meringue shaped to form rose petals makes for a show-stopping finish.Maxime Iattoni

Lemon Layer Cake — Lemon infuses this layered masterpiece in three ways: zested into the batter, in a tart syrup that get drizzled over the cakes, and in a thick lemon curd frosting.Todd Coleman

A thyme-infused butter enhances the flavor of this skillet-seared steak. See the recipe for Porterhouse With Lemon-Thyme Butter »Todd Coleman

Corsican Lemon Mousse — This rich, silky mousse brightened with tangy lemons makes an elegant end to a meal.Todd Coleman

These cupcakes are the perfect spring or summer treat--light and airy angel food cake is topped with a tangy lemon-mascarpone frosting and garnished with fresh berries.Todd Coleman

Persimmon Chutney — Persimmons come in two varieties. There's the Hachiya, which can only be eaten when the flesh is incredibly ripe and runny, and the Fuyu, which can be eaten either firm or soft. You want to seek out firm Fuyu persimmons for this recipe (they are short and squat, with a flat underside), as they give the best texture to the finished chutney.Nicole Franzen

After simmering clementines in simple syrup, you end up with pockets of sweet, tender fruit suspended in a bright, slightly tart liquid. They make the perfect gift for cocktail lovers and home bakers. This recipe comes to us from Marisa McClellan, author of Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round.Nicole Franzen

Lemon-Glazed Persimmon Bars — Sweetened with ripe persimmons and dates, and coated with a tart, toothsome, lemon-sugar glaze, these bars are a wonderful celebration of late-fall fruits.Noah Fecks

Robiola-Stuffed Figs with Pomegranate — Pungent Robiola cheese can be substituted with brie, ricotta, or any other soft cheese in this simple no-cook appetizer.Maxime Iattoni

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