What can I do with a bag of grapefruit?
Ways to capitalise on the current season; dive into grapefruit's juicy, tangy & slightly bitter potential.
Kia ora friends,
Every fortnight this newsletter seems to sneak up on me. While I like to think I can be a relatively organised person most of the time, you’d be surprised how often I get to Friday and then spin into semi-panic mode that I haven’t thought once about what I’m going to write and share with you all in two days’ time. But I find a little bit of pressure tends to bring out the best in me when it comes to recipe development, and this week is no exception. The great thing about this newsletter is that it holds me accountable to continue to think seasonally and be creative with my own eating habits, and encourages me to continue to grow as a food writer ~ so thank you to the near 600 (and growing) of you who keep me honest with your subscription ~ be sure to spread the word with your friends and whānau so our e-community can grow :)
This past Friday’s question of ‘what on earth will my newsletter theme be this week?’ saw me finding my answer in a reusable shopping bag that’s sat in my dining room for the past month. A bag full of grapefruit.
Grapefruit that had travelled with me all the way from Auckland; a bountiful gift from the brilliant Bridget of Black Shed Pottery, whom was part of my book launch event in Auckland at Little Bird Kitchen, and was one of the contributing local ceramicists for the photography in my new cookbook Good Vibes (see picture below of me & the amazing ceramicists, with Bridget standing next to me).
This bag of grapefruit was picked from Bridget’s tree in Waihi, and using a few of them earlier in the month for a Grapefruit & thyme meringue pie (recipe in Good Vibes) had barely made a dent in them. Alongside news that grapefruit from our country's fruit bowls of Hawke’s Bay/Gisborne are ripe and ready, being shipped around the country as I write, it seemed more than appropriate to make use of this bag of grapefruit and share some ideas for those of you who also have a grapefruit surplus dilemma (or as I’m about to enlighten you with, an opportunity!!).
What may be of interest to some of you, is that a lot of the grapefruit trees growing in New Zealand backyards are known as the ‘New Zealand grapefruit’ or ‘Poorman’s orange’, and apparently are not considered true grapefruit ~ rather they’re thought to be a hybrid between a pomelo and tangelo. As such, the flavour is slightly mellower than traditional grapefruit, still with some bitterness but perhaps less acidic and sweeter. I have a feeling this may be the type of grapefruit I’ve been cooking with this week; but any kind of grapefruit will work wonderfully for the recipes below.
Firstly, here’s a couple of quick and easy recipes to make the most of your grapefruit:
Grapefruit, mint & ginger dressing (as featured in Good Vibes)
In a jar, mix together 1 bunch of roughly chopped mint leaves, 50ml freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves finely grated garlic, 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tbsp maple syrup and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Seal with a lid and shake to combine. Use as a zingy salad dressing ~ great with roasted carrots/chickpeas (pic below), greens, noodle salads etc.
Quick grapefruit curd
In a medium heavy-based saucepan, whisk together 130g egg yolks (from about 7-8 eggs), 200g caster sugar and 130ml grapefruit juice. Place over low heat and cook, whisking regularly along the bottom of the pan, until the curd is thickened and only just starting to bubble. This will take a few minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in 200g chopped butter in three parts, until smooth and thick. Strain through a sieve into sterilised jars or if using immediately, into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin from forming. Refrigerate to chill and thicken further. *Note my 1:1.5 rule for making curds. Use the same weight of egg yolks and any citrus juice, and 1.5x this weight of caster sugar and butter.
Here’s a recipe from a national legend for Grapefruit marmalade with cardamom, turmeric & ginger that sounds divine.
Every now and then I get this overwhelming craving for fresh fish, and a trip to the local fishmonger inspired this standout recipe I’m so excited to share with you this week. Full of fresh, punchy flavours, this dish really showcases how amazing grapefruit can be in savoury food! Fresh is often best, and these words could not be truer than in a mouthful of ceviche. My version sees thinly sliced tarakihi marinated in grapefruit juice, tossed with fresh grapefruit, fennel, ginger and mint, then finished with a saffron coconut cream. It's quick, simple and insanely delicious ~ slightly fancy without going overboard, and perfect for when a quick entrée is required that’s guaranteed to please. Be sure to try my Grapefruit + saffron ceviche with fennel, ginger + mint ~ spring eating at its finest.
Hopefully you’re all feeling inspired to pick up some seasonal grapefruit from your local tree, produce market or superstore and get busy with these juicy fellows in the kitchen this week! Sending good vibes to you all for the next fortnight.
Much love,
Alby xx
This week’s MOOD BOOSTER:
Grapefruit, mint + aperol sorbet
Last week an unusually warm September afternoon in Dunedin found me walking with Beau the greyhound into my local ice cream parlour: Patti’s & Cream ~ small batch, handmade ice cream, that started as an ice cream truck and now has two established premises; worth a visit if you’re ever in town! They’ve always got a few interesting flavours going, and it was the Grapefruit & Aperol sorbet that caught my eye and found its way into my cone. So with grapefruit on the mind, I thought I’d try and create my own homemade version of this refreshing combination. This vegan no-churn sorbet couldn’t be easier to make, and it hits in all the right places. The perfect cooling dessert as the weather warms.
Serves 4, but easily doubled
Ingredients:
6 ripe grapefruit (about 1.2kg)
200g caster sugar
100ml water
80ml aperol
1 large handful mint leaves, finely chopped
Method:
To prepare the grapefruit, using a sharp knife, top and tail the ends of the grapefruit, then following the curve of each grapefruit, cut away the peel and pith so you are left with 6 whole naked grapefruits (about 700g of grapefruit flesh). Place on a baking paper-lined tray or in a container and freeze for about 4 hours, until frozen solid.
To make the sugar syrup, place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then cook for 2 minutes to reduce a little. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
To make the sorbet, chop the frozen grapefruit into small bite-sized pieces and add to a food processor, along with the cooled sugar syrup, aperol and mint leaves. Blitz for a couple of minutes until relatively smooth. Using a spatula, press the sorbet through a sieve into an ice cream container, discarding the leftover chopped up seeds/pith. Spread the sorbet evenly into the container, smoothing the top. Seal and freeze overnight (or for a minimum of 8 hours).
To serve, bring to room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping into bowls.
Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):
Brassicas (especially Broccolini, Broccoli, last of the Brussels sprouts)
Spinach, Salad Greens
Kale
Grapefruit
Lemons
Avocados
Last of the Winter Carrots and Parsnips
Radishes
Beetroot
Kitchen music of the moment:
About 6 months ago I stumbled upon Reneé Rapp on Spotify, through her song Colorado (see video below), and since then she’s been on a steady ascent ~ notably performing her song ‘Pretty Girls’ at the recent MTV VMA’s. Made famous by her starring role on Broadway’s ‘Mean Girls’ production, if you’re interested in up-and-coming pop, this could be for you.
And on a completely different vibe, it’s only recently I’ve discovered the good sounds of Corrella, an Auckland-based 7-piece group, bringing a mix of Aotearoa sound, reggae and funk. Check out their latest release, Blue Eyed Māori.
Interesting reads:
Eat New Zealand has just announced their Kaitaki for 2023/2024 ~ “a collective of next generation food leaders telling the Aotearoa food story”. I’m so excited to join this community, and represent Ōtākou in this space.
For those looking for a solution to recycle their soft plastics
The programme for the Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival has just been released ~ check out this awesome festival coming in October!
Eagerly awaiting pastry chef Philip Khoury’s upcoming book
The grapefruit, mint and aperol sorbet is inspired! Will be trying it out pronto to cling onto the last vestiges of summer here in the UK! 😍