Admittedly, it's January in Boston and it's 60 degrees outside. Climate change? Freak weather? Both? Most likely. But it's still winter and the fruit selection at the markets ain't what they used to be, as they say.
What's a conscientious (or somewhat aware) mom supposed to do? What works in place of the gorgeous peaches, plums, nectarines, etc. of summer? O summer fruit, where art thou? For the most part, the mealy imported substitutes just don't cut it.
So I'm embracing my inner winter foodie. Stand by for exciting squash and parsnip recipes in the near future, but for now, let's go with a winter fruit salad.
The peel-and-slice-with-a-knife method ranks way above the traditional peel-and-separate-with-your-progressively-stickier-fingers-and-slimy-fingernails method of my misspent youth. Now I simply use the knife to peel the skin and pith from grapefruit, oranges and their ilk (pomelos, tangelos, tangerines, blood oranges, navel oranges...) and then slice the fruit crosswise and into quarters or thirds.
If the berries look good at the store, I toss some of them in too for sweetness and color. My family has had this as dessert for about six of the last seven nights, but it's always good and always healthy. In the above photo, I show a mix of one pink grapefruit, two oranges and half a pint of blackberries. Pomegranate seeds are another great addition. If you want to dress this up for guests, serve it with a side of biscuits or brownies.
I'm including a recipe, but this is just a guide -- whatever looks good to you, will work.
Winter Fruit Salad
1 pomelo or 2 grapefruit
2-3 oranges
1/2 pint of blackberries, raspberries or blueberries
1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds
1/2 fresh lime (for juice)
1. Peel citrus fruit, removing outer peel and white pith.
2. Slice citrus fruit crosswise, then cut each large slice into quarters or thirds.
3. Rinse and dry berries.
4. Toss all ingredients together in a serving bowl.
5. Top with pomegranate seeds and a squeeze of fresh lime juice if desired.
Mmm, this looks great! Especially with the news about the benefits of berries for women's cancer risk. :)
Posted by: Katherine | Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 11:30 AM