Grapefruit And Navel Orange Gratin Food

GRAPEFRUIT AND NAVEL ORANGE GRATIN

Steps:

• Set aside 200 grams oranges and 1 grapefruit. Slice the ends off the remaining oranges and grapefruit and remove the peel and white pith by slicing down the sides from top to bottom. Holding the fruit over a bowl, cut the sections from between the membranes that separate them.
• Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the fruit. Arrange the sectioned fruit in a lightly buttered baking dish or in 6 oven-proof crème brûlée dishes. Sprinkle the fruit lightly with cinnamon.
• Pour the strained juice from the fruit into a measuring cup. Squeeze the remaining grapefruit and enough of the remaining oranges to obtain 200 grams of juice (about 3/4 cup).
• Pour the juice into a medium saucepan and add half the sugar. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and using the tip of a knife, scrape the seeds into the juice. Add the vanilla bean pod to the juice. Bring to a simmer and immediately turn off the heat, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and allow the vanilla bean to steep for 15 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap.
• Fill a bowl with ice and set another bowl in it. Place a strainer over the bowl. Beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar in a small bowl and bring the juice back to a simmer. Remove from the heat and, making sure that the juice isn't boiling, whisk half of it into the egg yolks. Whisk the tempered egg yolks into the saucepan, scraping out every last bit from the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Place the saucepan back over medium-low heat and heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or a whisk. Do not allow the liquid to come to a boil. Insert a thermometer and when the mixture reaches 180 degrees Farenheit and coats the spatula like thick cream, remove from the heat and immediately strain into the bowl set in the ice. Whisk in the crème fraiche and stir over the ice until the mixture cools. At this point, if you are not serving the gratin right away, cover and refrigerate the custard sauce.
• Preheat the broiler and place the rack about 3 inches away from the heat. Spoon the custard over the fruit. Just before serving place under the broiler and, watching closely, heat until the cream is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.

CITRUS AND PERSIMMON SALAD

Steps:

• Using a small serrated knife, peel the navel oranges, blood oranges and grapefruit. They should be perfect globes with no pith. Slice the fruit crosswise about 3/8-inch thick and place in a salad bowl.
• Peel and core the persimmons. Slice them about 1/4-inch thick and add to the salad bowl. Arrange the fruit in a random pattern. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the top. Cover well and chill for 1 hour. Serve in small bowls, making sure each serving gets some of every type of fruit and a good spoonful of the juices that will have gathered at the bottom of the bowl.

SICILIAN-STYLE CITRUS SALAD

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. It should be tart but not over-vinegary. Taste and add a little more olive oil if necessary.
• To peel the citrus fruit, use a small serrated knife. First, cut off a thin slice of peel from the top and bottom of the orange, so it can sit flat and securely on the cutting board. Use a sawing motion to take off the peel, cutting from top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit. Remove only the peel and white pith, not the flesh of the orange. It should now be perfectly spherical and naked. Peel remaining oranges and grapefruit in this fashion.
• Carefully slice peeled citrus crosswise. Arrange slices on a large serving platter in a random pattern, letting them overlap a bit here and there. Scatter onion, fennel and celery over top. Dot the surface with olives. Surround with salad leaves, if using.
• Whisk vinaigrette, and spoon evenly over the salad. Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt and serve.