Recipe: Grapefruit Ginger Salsa With White Fish

Zesty ginger together with tangy sweet grapefruit and fresh mint make an amazing salsa that goes well with fish or chicken, and will kick any summer meal up a notch or two! (You can also do the fish on the grill if you prefer a smokier flavor.)

Grapefruit Ginger Salsa With White Fish
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

2 red grapefruit
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp agave syrup
2 tbsp grated ginger
1/8 cup fresh mint, chopped
2 roasted tomatoes, skinned and diced
1 medium red onion, diced small
1 tsp minced garlic
Kosher salt and black pepper to season fish
4 white fish fillets (6 oz each), any fish you like

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Peel and section one of the red grapefruit, then cut the segments in half and place them in a mixing bowl. 
• Squeeze juice from the remaining grapefruit into the bowl with cut grapefruit segments, then add the remaining ingredients (except salt, pepper, and fish) and toss to combine.  Put in refrigerator.
• Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil.  Season fish on both sides with Kosher salt and pepper.  
• Add fish to the skillet when the oil is hot.  Cook the fish until it starts to brown, flip and brown the other side.
• Place skillet in the oven for 10 minutes or until the fish has finished cooking through. 
• Serve fish hot with cold grapefruit "salsa" on the side or on top.

Recipe: Ruby Red And Emerald Green Super Salad

This week we're celebrating citrus. Citrus fruits are the perfect simple way to bring a tangy freshness to favorite summer dishes. Whether you are using the juice of a lemon to bring acidity to a fresh salad dressing, or the zest of an orange to brighten up a quick summer stir fry, you're sure to find lots of great ways to use citrus in your cooking this summer. We'll start off with a salad today.

Sweet, tangy, and delicious, this super-food-filled salad combines elements of summer and fall into a fresh, unforgettable bowl of healthy goodness:

Ruby Red And Emerald Green Super Salad
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2  large Ruby Red or other pink grapefruits, peeled, segmented, each cut in half
2  ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, then cut into bite size pieces
1/2 sweet red bell peeper, diced
4  green onions, chopped
1  Tbsp local honey
2  tsp soy sauce
2  tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pistachios
1/4 cup dried cranberries
salt and pepper to taste
mixed lettuce for serving

Instructions:

1. Put the grapefruit segments, avocado pieces, bell pepper, and onions in a large glass bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, and olive oil until frothy, then immediately pour into bowl and toss together.
3. Add the pistachios and dried cranberries and toss lightly. Season to taste.
4. Put mixed lettuce on 4 salad plates, then spoon grapefruit mixture over and service immediately.

Recipe: Grapefruit Viniagrette Quinoa Salad With Grilled Salmon

The delicate, sweet tangy-ness of grapefruit lends itself well to being paired with fish, and this recipe is no exception. A slightly more complex recipe, this tasty salad is packed with flavor - from scallions to cilantro to chile peppers and ginger, accented with grapefruit-infused oil, every bite is a taste sensation! Pairs well with shrimp or meaty fish like salmon, but if you don't care for fish, you could also try it with chicken breasts.

Grapefruit Viniagrette Quinoa Salad With Grilled Salmon
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 medium-size grapefruit
1/4 cup olive oil
8 slices fresh ginger
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 small minced chile pepper (jalapeno or serrano)
2 minced scallions
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 large salmon steaks, cut in bite-size cubes
Skewers, for grilling
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Use a vegetable peeler and carefully peel curls of the grapefruit rind off, being careful to avoid getting any of the bitter white pith.
• Heat grapefruit peel, olive oil, and ginger about 2 minutes in a small saucepan over medium heat. When oil starts to bubble, remove from heat. Set aside and let sit for 30 minutes, then strain and reserve the oil, discarding the grapefruit peelings.
• Meanwhile, bring quinoa, water, and 1/2 tsp salt, to a boil in a medium saucepan, reduce heat, cover and simmer for fifteen minutes, or until quinoa is light and fluffy and has absorbed the water. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork, then transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
• Remove entire peeling now from grapefruit and separate segments over a bowl to reserve juice; set grapefruit sections aside.
• Take 3 tablespoons of reserved grapefruit juice and whisk together with vinegar and honey in a separate bowl, then add salt and whisk again.
• To this mixture, slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons of the grapefruit-infused olive oil; start slowly, whisking constantly. Season with ground black pepper to taste.
• Pour this dressing into the quinoa and toss gently, then add the chile peppers, scallions, and cilantro. Set aside.
• Preheat a grill to high heat. 
• Thread salmon cubes onto skewers, brush with remaining grapefruit-infused oil, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Grill salmon skewers about three minutes, turning as each side browns.
• Toss grapefruit segments into the quinoa salad and serve with salmon kebobs, or remove salmon from skewers and add to salad.

Grapefruit: Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

When I was little, I wasn't that fond of grapefruit, but now it has become one of my favorite citrus fruits - and it's much more versatile in the kitchen than most people realize. A breakfast favorite, the large succulent grapefruit has a yellow skin and is about three times the size of an average orange. With a powerful pucker-up quality, the grapefruit needs to be fully ripe before enjoying. Not only are grapefruits a great way to start your day at breakfast, they are versatile enough to take you all the way to dessert. Let's look at this refreshing fruit and learn more.

What is It?

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tart and tangy with a sweetness that grabs your taste buds, grapefruit rivals the popularity of the orange. Although they are generally available throughout the year, grapefruit are at their peak during the winter months. Grapefruits are typically two to three times larger than their orange cousins. The Latin scientific name for grapefruit, citrus paradisi, actually means “paradise-like.” Grapefruits are categorized as white, pink, or ruby, but their color isn't evident from the outside. The classification reflects the color of their flesh.

History

Grapefruits are one of the newer fruits to be become known outside of their native area. It wasn't until the 18th century that grapefruit was found in Barbados. Grapefruit trees came to the US in the early 19th century. Scientists believe that the grapefruit was born out of a crossbreeding between an orange and the pomelo. The name 'grapefruit' actually came from the way these delicious fruits grow – hanging in clusters, like grapes, from trees.  Florida, California, Arizona, and Texas are the four top producing states in the US.

Health Benefits

Grapefruit is an incredible source of vitamin C, which helps support the immune system. Vitamin C also helps prevent free radical damage and is therefore also associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The vitamins and nutrients in grapefruits also help promote cardiovascular health. Consumption of super-foods rich in vitamin C has resulted in a reduced risk of death from causes including heart disease, stroke and cancer. Grapefruit also protects against kidney stones and colon cancer.

Fun Fact

A study done in Austria suggests that fruits which are very ripe, almost to the point of spoilage, actually have increased antioxidant levels. So, for the most antioxidants, choose a fully ripened grapefruit. Grapefruits are naturally juicier when they're slightly warm rather than cool, so it is important to store them at room temperature if you are planning on enjoying them within a week of purchase. If you will not be eating them within this time period, store them in the refrigerator crisper where they will keep fresh for about two to three weeks. Grapefruit is a great freshener, just like lemon. Put the peelings down the garbage disposal for cleansing and deodorizing. The essential oils from grapefruit are also used in many scented products as well as beauty products.

Two empty grapefruit halves (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How to Eat

Grapefruits are citrus fruit, so you eat them like other citrus fruits. They can be eaten by peeling and separating the segments. You can also slice a grapefruit around the 'equator' and eat it like a bowl, using a serrated spoon to scoop out the sections to eat. You can cut around from top to bottom and continue to cut into wedges, just like other citrus. With the grapefruit, however, you will probably want to avoid eating the white 'pith' as it is very bitter. Beyond breakfast and snack time, the grapefruit has seen a resurgence in popularity in everything from vinaigrette to grilled meals to desserts. Check back later this week for some tasty grapefruit recipes!

This citrus, that has been familiar as a breakfast staple, is finding all sorts of new ways to make it to the table. Get familiar with this tangy sweet and juicy fruit to expand your culinary experience way beyond the ordinary.