Zest E-Book

Ryland Peters & Small

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 159

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

A collection of more than 75 recipes celebrating of the most versatile and transformative fruits used in cooking, from STUNNINGLY SIMPLE SALADS to complex and RICHLY SPICED CURRIES and stews, as well as TEMPTINGLY TANGY DESSERTS and drinks. This FRESH and VIBRANT book explores the myriad uses of ORANGES, LEMONS, LIMES and GRAPEFRUIT to provide a source of delight and inspiration in your kitchen all year round. Citrus fruits are possibly the most essential family of ingredients to cook with. They satisfy almost every part of the palate – SWEET, SOUR, BITTER, and UMAMI-enhancing. From a quick squeeze of lemon juice over a cooked dish to a rich and complex overnight marinade, citrus fruits have a magical ability to be both the star of the show or to quietly enhance and elevate both flavour and texture. Consider aromatic Asian-style curries, vibrant Mexican-inspired salsas, South American ceviche, tangy Indian pickles, and North Africa tagines, none of these dishes would succeed without the addition of lemons, limes, and oranges; juice, flesh and zest! Choose from fresh noodle salads and light seafood dishes, as well as slow-cooked meats and vegetable dishes, plus discover appetizing home bakes as well as moreish desserts and citrus-forward drinks and cocktails.

Leseprobe

ZEST

FRESH & VIBRANT RECIPES FOR CITRUS FRUIT

ZEST

FRESH & VIBRANT RECIPES FOR CITRUS FRUIT

Senior Designer Megan Smith

Editor Kate Eddison

Editorial Director Julia Charles

Production Manager Gordana Simakovic

Creative Director Leslie Harrington

Indexer Vanessa Bird

First published in 2025 by

Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields, London

WC1R 4BW

and

1452 Davis Bugg Road

Warrenton, NC 27589

www.rylandpeters.com

email: [email protected]

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Recipe collection compiled by Julia Charles.

Text © Valerie Aikman-Smith, Ghillie Basan, Adriano di Petrillo, Ursula Ferrigno, Amy Ruth Finegold, Liz Franklin, Felipe Fuentes Cruz, Dunja Gulin, Victoria Hall, Carol Hilker, Kathy Kordalis, Jenny Linford, Theo A. Michaels, Louise Pickford, James Porter, Sarah Randall, Annie Rigg, Shelagh Ryan, Laura Santini, María José Sevilla, Will Torrent, Jenny Tschiesche, Laura Washburn Hutton and Ryland Peters & Small 2025

Design and photography © Ryland Peters & Small 2025. All recipes in this book have been previously published, see pages 174–176 for full credits.

Printed in China.

The authors’ moral rights have been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-78879-686-6

E-ISBN: 978-1-78879-709-2

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. US Library of Congress cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.

The authorised representative in the EEA is Authorised Rep Compliance Ltd., Ground Floor, 71 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, D02 P593, Ireland www.arccompliance.com

NOTES

• All spoon measurements are level unless otherwise specified

• Uncooked or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the very old, frail, young children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems.

• When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using.

• Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures.

• To sterilize preserving jars, wash them in hot, soapy water and rinse in boiling water. Place in a large saucepan and cover with hot water. With the saucepan lid on, bring the water to the boil and continue boiling for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the hot water until just before they are to be filled. Invert the jars onto a clean dish towel to dry. Sterilize the lids for 5 minutes, by boiling (remove any rubber seals first). Jars should be filled and sealed while they are still hot.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Small Plates & Appetizers

Soups & Salads

Main Dishes

Sweet Things

Drinks & Preserves

Index

Credits

INTRODUCTION

Citrus fruits are quite possibly the most essential family of ingredients to cook with. They satisfy almost every part of the palate – sweet, sour, bitter, and are umami-enhancing. This fresh and vibrant collection of recipes explores the myriad uses of oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit and more to provide a source of delight and inspiration in your kitchen all year round. From a quick squeeze of lemon juice over a plated dish to a rich and complex overnight marinade, citrus fruits have a magical ability to be both the star of the show or to quietly enhance and elevate both flavour and texture.

Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes and the lesser known pomelos and citron are all types of citrus fruit. They share a unique feature, a juicy pulp inside a leathery skin (known as peel or rind). Inside the peel, the flesh is divided into eight or more segments. Each of these contains miniscule liquid-filled pouches and seeds (though farmers have over the decades developed ways of growing seedless varieties). Any citrus fruit once cut to reveal a cross section is a thing of beauty, so delicate and intricate – no wonder slices are so often used to garnish savoury plates, cakes, desserts and drinks.

Citrus fruits grow abundantly on trees, bushes or even shrubs in the warm regions of the world. They were first found in southern China and other parts of Asia, and it was then Arab traders who brought citrus fruits to the Middle East, Africa and eventually they reached Europe via Spain – Seville bitter oranges are some of the most prized in the world. It was then European explorers who brought the fruits to the Americas in the 1500s and farmers there were able to cultivate them and establish luxuriant groves. Citrus can also thrive in the wild or even in private gardens, given the right conditions and care.

The sour, tangy quality of citrus fruit has the unique ability to lift every food it touches, adding acidity. Just a squeeze or a splash of juice can make salad dressings brighter, fish taste fresher, or add an instant and delightful tang to balance out anything too sweet or too salty. It can even make a pizza crust crispier and baked goods feel lighter in texture. The versatility of citrus fruit as an ingredient is unsurpassed – consider aromatic Asian-style curries, vibrant Mexican-inspired salsas, South American ceviche, tangy Indian pickles and North Africa tagines, none of these dishes would succeed without the addition of lemons, limes and oranges; whether it’s just juice or the whole flesh and zest. Citrus skins themselves provide oil that can be used as a flavouring and rinds of zest can be candied with sugar to enjoy as sweet treat or as a baking ingredient.

In this book you will discover from a wide range of appetizing savoury and sweet recipes for every taste and occasion. Choose from fresh noodle salads and light seafood dishes to slow-cooked and meats as well as satisfying vegetable and pulse (legume) dishes. Discover simple home bakes as well as moreish desserts and refreshing drinks and cocktails. Why not bring some citrusy sunshine into your own home cooking every day?

1

SMALL PLATES & APPETIZERS

ORANGE-MARINATED GREEN OLIVES

In Andalucía, where the olive has always taken centre stage at the table, marinating olives at the beginning of winter was a job home cooks felt proud to do and they tended to follow their own family’s particular recipe. Today cured olives are easy to find in every local market, marinated in varying ways with many different aromatics; sometimes vinegar is added, but they are always tasty and very moreish. To make things easy for you here, a jar of manzanilla olives, so typical of the city of Sevilla, is used.

2 oranges

3 tablespoons Spanish extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons white sesame seeds

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

400 g/14 oz. manzanilla olives from a jar, drained and rinsed

a few small mint leaves

SERVES 8–10

Wash the oranges and grate and juice one of them. Set the other orange aside.

In a bowl, using a hand whisk, mix the orange juice and zest with the olive oil and the vinegar.

Peel the second orange, removing all the pith, and use a small knife to cut it into segments.

In a small frying pan/skillet, toast the sesame seeds until they take on a little colour and release their nutty aroma.

In a serving bowl, mix the toasted sesame seeds, black pepper, olives, orange segments and mint leaves before adding the liquid. Blend well.

These will keep in the fridge for several days.

PEPPERED PAN-FRIED OLIVES

Jewelled bright-green Italian Castelvetrano olives are perfect for pan frying. Mixed with citrus and salty capers, they offer a vibrant taste of the Italian countryside.

2 tablespoons olive oil

225 g/8 oz. Castelvetrano olives

2 slices of dried tangerine or orange

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons salted capers

SERVES 4–6

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan/skillet over a medium heat. Add the olives, dried tangerine slices, pepper and salted capers, and fry for 3–4 minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

SALT-BAKED HERITAGE BEETROOT & MANGO LETTUCE CUPS

WITH LIME & NERIGOMA DRESSING

Salt-baking seems to intensify the sweetness of beetroot. If you can manage to find different coloured beetroots, it makes this a very beautiful dish. Served in lettuce cups, it makes a special dinner party starter.

800 g/4 cups coarse sea salt

3 egg whites

4 candy-striped and yellow beetroots/beets

3½ tablespoons olive oil

freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes

1 teaspoon caster/granulated sugar

1 small red onion, sliced

1 large ripe but firm tomato, roughly chopped

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced

a small of handful of freshly chopped coriander/cilantro

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

iceberg or Little Gem lettuce cups

mint leaves, to garnish

DRESSING

4 tablespoons nerigoma (Japanese sesame paste)

grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime

1 fat garlic clove, finely grated

SERVES 4

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) Gas 5.

Put the salt into a large bowl and mix in the egg whites. Spread about one-third of the mixture in a thin layer on a lined sheet pan. Place the beetroots close together, and then pat the remaining salt mixture over the beetroots to cover them. Bake for 1 hour until they are soft when tested with the point of a knife.

Meanwhile, mix the olive oil, lime juice and sugar in a large bowl. Season.

When the beetroots are cooked, give the salt crust a good bash with a rolling pin, and remove them.

Once the beetroots are cool enough, gently peel them and cut them into dice.

Drop them into the lime dressing whilst they are still warm, and leave to cool completely.

Add the onion, tomato and mango to the dressing and stir in the freshly chopped coriander.

Whisk all the ingredients for the nerigoma dressing together with 3–4 tablespoons of water.

Peel away layers of the lettuce to make cups and fill with the beetroot mixture. Garnish with mint leaves, and serve with the dressing.

HOME-CURED DUCK ‘PROSCIUTTO’

WITH ROCKET & ORANGE VINAIGRETTE

This is, of course, not really prosciutto... but it is home cured and makes a fabulous dish to share. It takes a good few days to cure and then needs another few days to rest, but it’s a great way of preserving a duck breast to use over a couple of weeks. Here it is served with a side of rocket dressed with a simple orange vinaigrette and a few Parmesan shavings. Once it starts to dry out too much to enjoy on its own, it works nicely diced and fried to add to pasta or in a stew. Note that the curing time will need to increase, the larger the duck breast you are using.

1 x 250-g/9-oz. duck breast

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, plus a little finely grated orange zest to garnish

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

a few handfuls of rocket/arugula, to serve

CURING SALT MIXTURE

400 g/2 cups coarse sea salt

50 g/½ cup demerara/turbinado sugar

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 dried bay leaf, ground to a powder with a pestle and mortar

SERVES 12

Trim the duck breast of any trailing bits of fat, and if it has a very thick layer of fat on top, lightly trim this as well. Use a sharp knife to score the breast skin in diagonal lines, being careful not to pierce the flesh.

To make the curing salt mixture, simply mix together the salt, sugar, black pepper and ground bay leaf in a small bowl.

Choose a dish of material resistant to salt (ceramic or glass is best) into which the duck breast will fit snugly. Scatter one-third of the curing salt mixture in the bottom (or enough to create a complete layer), then lay the duck flesh-side down and cover with the remaining mixture. Add more salt if any of the duck is exposed, you need it to be fully encased. Cover the top of the dish with clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 days.

After 3 days the duck will have shrunk a little and be much firmer. Rinse off the salt, pat it with paper towels until fully dry and then loosely wrap it in baking parchment (you don’t want it to be airtight, it needs a little air to allow the moisture to escape). Return it to the fridge for a further 5 days.

When ready to serve, make the dressing by whisking together the orange juice, olive oil and vinegar until emulsified and season with a pinch each of salt and pepper.

Slice the duck very thinly, starting at the thinner end and cutting at an angle. Arrange the slices on a plate with the rocket, and dress with the orange vinaigrette and a sprinkle of grated orange zest.

You can store any leftover duck, unsliced, in the fridge in an airtight container so that it doesn’t dry out.

HOME-CURED ANCHOVIES

Throughout the Mediterranean it is the cheap, small fish that form a major part of the staple diet. Abundant in local waters and full of healthy fats, anchovies are delicious once cured and served with some really good bread and a glass of wine. If you can’t find fresh anchovies, sprats work just as well and belong to the same family of fish. Here, smoked sea salt is used to cure these, which gives a pleasing hint of smokiness, but regular coarse sea salt will work just as well.

12 fresh anchovies or sprats

about 50 g/¼ cup coarse smoked sea salt or coarse sea salt

100 ml/7 tablespoons sherry vinegar

freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

a 5-cm/2-inch piece of lemon zest

1 garlic clove, thickly sliced

2 dried bay leaves

a pinch of Greek dried oregano

250 ml/1 cup light olive oil

a few pink peppercorns, crushed, to garnish (optional)

lemon wedges, for squeezing

chunks of rustic bread, to serve

a 750-ml/3-cup capacity sealable glass jar, sterilized

SERVES 8

Fillet the anchovies or sprats, discarding the head, bones and guts (or ask your fishmonger to do this for you when you buy them).

Scatter one-quarter of the salt on a plate that won’t react with the salt (ceramic or glass is best). Layer the fillets on top, salting between each layer. These don’t need to be fully encased in salt, so you should have enough, but use a little more if you feel you need to. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Put the sherry vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

Remove the sprats from the fridge, rinse the salt off them and pat them dry with paper towels. Put them in a shallow dish and pour over the sherry vinegar and lemon juice mixture. Shuffle them around to ensure they are all submerged, cover and let them pickle in the fridge for 1 hour.

After an hour, remove them from the pickling liquor, shaking off some of the excess.

Add the lemon zest, garlic, bay leaves and oregano to the sterilized jar. Add the cured fillets and pour in the olive oil to cover. These are best eaten after a day or two, so that they have time to soak in the flavours, but refrigerate them until ready to serve and eat them within 3 days.

To serve, lay the anchovies out flat on a plate, leave for 10 minutes to take the fridge chill off and drizzle with some of the oil from the jar (if the oil has solidified just leave 1–2 tablespoon of it to liquefy at room temperature) and scatter over some crushed pink peppercorns (if using). Add a few lemon wedges for squeezing and serve with chunks of rustic bread and a glass of white wine.

STUFFED VINE LEAVES

WITH ZINGY GARLIC-HERB DRESSING

These dolmades are made throughout the Balkans and Middle East. There are many variations, including this one with a very simple zest-flavoured filling and zingy garlic and herb dressing. The filling here is a mixture of rice and quinoa and a lot of herbs and citrus juices as they make for a lighter dish, and one suitable for vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians alike.

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

1 bunch spring onions/scallions, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

250 g/generous 1¼ cups short-grain rice

200 ml/scant 1 cup vegetable stock

100 g/½ cup cooked mixed tricolore quinoa grains

½ bunch coriander/cilantro, finely chopped

½ bunch dill, finely chopped

½ bunch mint, leaves picked and chopped

finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime

1 lemon, sliced, plus freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

250 g/9 oz. vine leaves, from a jar

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

DRESSING

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon Dijon/French mustard

finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

a pinch of sugar

60 ml/¼ cup olive oil

a handful each of flat-leaf parsley, dill and mint, finely chopped

SERVES 4

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, add the spring onions, onion and garlic and sauté for 10–15 minutes, until softened and caramelized.

Add the rice, cook for 2 minutes, then add the stock and stir. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until the rice soaks up the liquid.

Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the cooked quinoa and set aside to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Add the coriander, dill, mint, lime zest and lime juice, mix to combine and season with salt and pepper.

Spread 4–5 vine leaves across the base of a 22-cm/9-inch flameproof casserole dish. Add the lemon slices and squeeze over the lemon juice.

Lay a vine leaf flat on a plate with veins facing up and shiny side down. Add 1 tablespoon of filling in the centre, fold the sides of the vine leaf inwards, then roll up the vine leaf to enclose the filling.

Transfer to the dish, placing the stuffed vine leaves in a row, one next to the other.

Repeat the process, add to the layers until all the filling is used.

Drizzle over some olive oil and cover the stuffed vine leaves with a plate (so that they don’t fall apart while cooking). Add enough warm or hot water to completely cover them. Simmer over a low heat for 40–50 minutes until the rice is done and the vine leaves are tender.

For the dressing, add the garlic, mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar to a food processor. With the machine on the lowest setting, drizzle in all the olive oil until it’s emulsified, then stir in the herbs.

When the vine leaves are ready, remove from heat and set them aside to cool in the pot.

Serve drizzled with the zingy garlic-herb dressing.

TOASTED MIXED GRAINS

WITH LEMON LABNE