Under their jewel-tone skin, citrus fruits burst with tangy juice and a scent so sharp and fresh, it's invigorating just to breathe it in. The balance of tingling sweetness and mouth-puckering acidity makes them culinary stars: From peel to pulp, these zingy beauties have the power to enhance a range of flavors.
They're also great at keeping your skin looking young, because they're loaded with vitamin C, a power-packed antioxidant. One study linked a diet high in C to a decrease in age-induced wrinkles and dry skin. Even the aroma of fresh citrus has been shown to help energize you and fight stress.
Ready to load up? Lemons, limes, and all their zesty relatives are at their peak from November through March, which means the options right now are perfectly ripe.
Marcus Nilsson
Smoky-Sweet Chicken with Roasted Oranges
Apply low heat to citrus and you can concentrate its flavors without drying out the fruit. The resulting sweet-tart notes are irresistible with salty roasted meats.
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 blood oranges or tangerines, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 sprigs thyme
1/2 cup fresh blood orange or tangerine juice (about 2 oranges)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place chicken pieces in a single layer in a large baking pan and top with orange slices and thyme sprigs.
2. Whisk together all the remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Roast, basting occasionally, until juices run clear, about 20 minutes. To serve, transfer chicken and oranges to a serving platter and pour roasting juices over top.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 310 cal, 15 g fat (2.5 g sat), 21 g carbs, 390 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 23 g protein
Marcus Nilsson
Rosemary Salty Dog
Use a grapefruit wedge to wet the rim of a glass, then coat it lightly with kosher salt. In a co*cktail shaker, muddle a 1-inch piece of rosemary with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Add ice, the juice of half a red grapefruit, and 1 1/2 ounces vodka. Shake, then pour into the glass. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and a rosemary sprig.
Makes 1 serving
Per serving: 150 cal, 0 g fat, 14 g carbs, 480 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein
Marcus Nilsson
Pomelo Shrimp Salad
1 Tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pomelo, peeled, with segments sliced into thirds
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
2 Tbsp crushed peanuts
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until undersides are pink, about 3 minutes. Turn shrimp and cook until opaque, about 2 minutes more.
2. In a large bowl, toss together pomelo, carrot, and red pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, sesame oil, and chili flakes.
3. Add dressing to salad and toss to coat. Top with shrimp and crushed peanuts.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 330 cal, 14 g fat (2 g sat), 33 g carbs, 660 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 19 g protein
Marcus Nilsson
Flank Steak with Chipotle-Lime Sauce
6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
1 1/4 lbs flank steak
1 cup parsley
1/4 cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 canned chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce
1 tsp lime zest
1. In a shallow dish, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, the soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Add steak, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, flipping midway through.
2. In a food processor, combine parsley, cilantro, garlic, chipotle pepper, lime zest, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Process until well combined.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook steak, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 145°F (about 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare).
4. Let steak rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with sauce.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 290 cal, 17 g fat (6 g sat), 3 g carbs, 340 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 31 g protein
Marcus Nilsson
Carrot-Orange Soup with Basil Oil
Think of this as the ultimate cold blaster: All the immune-revving power of a glass of OJ, plus antimicrobial garlic and ginger, in soup form. You can also sub in tangerines or tangelos.
1 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped Vidalia onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 piece fresh ginger (1 inch), chopped
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth Juice and zest of 1 Valencia or navel orange
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 cup packed fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup almond oil
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss carrots with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread on a baking sheet and roast until tender 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Heat remaining olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; cook 1 minute. Place roasted carrots, broth, orange juice and zest, and cumin in pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow soup to cool slightly, then puree using a stick blender or food processor.
3. Combine basil, almond oil, and 3 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor and puree. To serve, divide soup among 6 bowls and garnish each with basil oil and leaves.
Makes 6 servings Per serving: 220 cal, 16 g fat (1.5 g sat), 18 g carbs 200 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 2 g protein
Marcus Nilsson
Fish Tacos with Grapefruit Salsa
1 small grapefruit, segmented
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
Juice of 1 lime
1 lb fillet of tilapia, cod, or halibut
8 corn tortillas
1/2 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1. In a bowl, toss together grapefruit, avocado, cilantro, jalapeno, and lime juice. Add salt to taste. Set aside.
2. Spray fish fillets with nonstick spray and place in a pan over medium heat. Lightly fry until fish is flaky and opaque, about 4 minutes per side.
3. To serve, divide fish among warm corn tortillas and top with the grapefruit salsa and cabbage.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving (2 tacos): 330 cal, 11 g fat (2 g sat), 36 g carbs, 100 mg sodium, 9 g fiber, 28 g protein
Marcus Nilsson
Sunshine in a Jar
Preserved lemons, a staple in Moroccan cooking, deliver a saltier, less sour flavor than fresh ones. Easy to make and admire, they're the perfect hostess gift. Keep them in the refrigerator, and break one out when you need to add mellow lemony notes to. . .
Lentil & Grain Salads
Roast Chicken
Pasta
Salad Dressings & Marinades
Polenta
Tagines & Stews
Salsas & Dips
Slice about 1/4 inch off the top of 4 clean lemons. Hold a lemon vertically and cut twice from top to bottom, as though quartering it, but leave the bottom intact. Repeat with remaining lemons. Stuff each lemon with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Place a thin layer of salt in the bottom of a wide-mouth jar. One at a time, pack the lemons in so they release their juices. If desired, add a cinnamon stick, a bay leaf, whole peppercorns, or coriander seeds. Top with enough lemon juice to submerge the citrus, then seal the jar and refrigerate 3 to 4 weeks. Rinse thoroughly and discard seeds before using. You can use the whole lemon--juice, pulp, and peel.
Per serving: 5 cal, 0 g fat, 1 g carbs, 440 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein
Marcus Nilsson
Candied Orange Peel
Citrus peels and rinds are completely edible, but they're usually discarded due to their extreme bitterness. When you candy them, you'll end up with addictively chewy strips that you can dip into chocolate or use as an edible garnish for co*cktails and desserts.
Scrub 5 oranges and slice off the tops and bottoms. Cut away the outermost peel, leaving behind the bitter white pith. Slice the peels into 1/4-inch strips and place them in a saucepan with enough water to cover them. Boil uncovered until the strips are tender, about 10 minutes; drain. (You can repeat this step with fresh water to leech out bitterness, if desired). Combine 1 cup each sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Add peels and simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly before tossing with sugar to coat. Place peels on a baking rack to cool completely.
Makes 28 servings
Per serving (5 strips): 25 cal, 0 g fat, 7 g carbs, 0 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 0 g protein
