Feeling stuck in the midwinter doldrums? Me too. Ooh, January, you've been harsh. But today I remembered something that might help -- besides a free vacation in Bali. It's citrus season! Oh sure, we can buy oranges all year round. But this time of the year a lot of fun, specialty fruits arrive on produce shelves. And even if you can't find the funky fruits, any citrus can brighten your day.
You can enjoy many citrus fruits plain, as-is. But here's some fun recipes that let you play with your fruit just a bit. Try these out if you need some extra C and flavor.
Blood Orange Lemon Bars: I love blood oranges, their gorgeous, purple-red flesh and sweet-tart flavor. And I love lemon bars. So this combines two of my favorite things. These look luscious!
Meyer Lemon Roast Chicken: Meyer lemons are sweeter than regular lemons. Even if you can't find Meyer lemons, I think this roast chicken recipe would be fantastic with regular lemons.
Gremolata: This is an Italian condiment made from chopped herbs, garlic, and lemon peel. You can sprinkle it on anything -- salads, roasts, even toast would be good.
Key Lime Meltaways: Key limes are a special kind of limes that are smaller and, you guess it, a bit sweeter than the usual. You already know about key lime pie. But check out these lime-kissed cookies.
Thai Pomelo Salad: A pomelo is similar to a grapefruit, but larger. This Thai salad looks flavorful and refreshing.
Broiled Grapefruit: Speaking of grapefruit, it's delicious on its own. But when you broil it, the sugars caramelize into yummmm. Give it a try for brunch this weekend.
Orange Sugar: Mix some orange zest and sugar to sweeten your tea.
Jasmine-Tea Tangerineade: How is that New Year's resolution to drink more green tea going? Better than mine, I hope. This is a fun, barely tart twist that's refreshing any time of the year.
What's your favorite citrus fruit?
Image via Nick Saltmarsh/Flickr