Mini Custards with Limoncello-Spiked Raspberry Sauce

There are many things I miss about not living close to my family, such as seeing my young nieces dress up for their first father-daughter dance, visiting my grandmother at the nursing home, and celebrating family birthdays (like my dad's 70th last year). Thanks to Dad, I have something new to miss: homemade limoncello.

A couple of months ago, he and his long-time Italian friend, Tony, made homemade limoncello (lee-mon-chay-low), an Italian liquer made from lemons and flavorless grain alcohol like vodka. It's vibrantly lemony and mouth-puckeringly tangy.

Limoncello isn't just for drinking though. It enlivens sweet fruit sauces and is lovely whipped into mascarpone cheese and served with fruit.


These simple lemon custards I'm sharing today are beautiful in their simplicity. Creamy lemon-infused custard is topped with a chilled limoncello-spiked raspberry sauce that makes each bite pop. It's refreshing and sweet, and did I mention low-fat? What's not to love? That's why I'm sending it to Helen of Tartelette, host of Sugar High Friday #43: Citrus.

Mini Custards with Limoncello-Spiked Raspberry Sauce
Serves 6
Print recipe only here.

Custard:
4 large eggs
3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
pinch salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (preferably Meyer lemon)
1 3/4 cups skim milk

Sauce:
1 cup frozen raspberries (unthawed)**
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon limoncello
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

Garnishes:
fresh raspberries
lemon zest, optional
1-2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

**I actually prefer using frozen raspberries to fresh for the sauce because it comes much thicker and clings deliciously to the custard. If you would rather use fresh berries, then just use less liquid.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat 6 (3-inch-wide) ramekins with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.

To make the sauce, puree all sauce ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to several days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

In a large bowl, whisk all custard ingredients until smooth. Divide evenly among ramekins.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy. Cool on a rack.

Custards can be served either at room temperature or slightly chilled. Add a couple of spoonfuls of raspberry sauce to each ramekin, then garnish with fresh raspberries, lemon zest and chopped pistachios.


When you take the custards out of the oven, they are impressively puffy. Within 1-2 minutes, they will deflate, so you'd better be quick if you want to take a picture.

You might also like these citrus-spiked baked goods:

Coconut Lemonquat Tea Cake





Date, Fennel, and Pistachio Scones (Heart Healthy & Low Fat!)





Olive Oil Cake with Rosemary and Lemon





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What's Better Than Desert Wildflowers? Shrimp Tacos, That's What.

Ever since we moved to Southern California five years ago, every spring we hear the same chorus: “You’ve got to go to Anza-Borrego. They have the most gorgeous wildflowers you’ve ever seen.”

Every spring Jeff tries to convince me to drive the 2 ½ hours to see them, and every spring I find some excuse not to. It’s not the drive (I love driving). It’s just that we have flowers everywhere we look here. Plus, I'm a fall foliage girl.

Two weekends ago, however, San Diego was all abuzz about this being the BEST wildflower season since 2005 (because of our unusually high rainfall-- a whopping 4.43 inches since last July). Jeff asked again, and I just couldn't say no. So we packed a lunch, grabbed our maps, and drove to Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

Apparently every person within the San Diego county limits decided to go to Anza-Borrego that day too. After waiting in line at the visitors’ center for nearly 30 minutes, a park ranger told us, “It’s a sea of brilliant color out there. Almost as good as 2005! You guys definitely picked the right day.” Jeff flashed me a big smile and said, “See, we picked the right day!”

We followed his directions and ended up on a dusty, dirt road. Jeff hopped out of the car, and said, “Wow! Look at those purple flowers!”

“You mean the weeds?” I said.

“They’re not weeds, they’re wildflowers. Look at them all!” he said.

“They look like weeds,” I said.

Anza-Borrego is technically a desert, which in my translation means sand with weeds in it. Based upon the “oohs” and “aahs” I was hearing, and the obscene number of Nikon D80's snapping pictures, it seems I was the only one not impressed.

So I went along: “Ooh, look at all those purple weeds.”

OK, I admit, there were some lovely flowers, but the best part of the day was the ride home. We stopped at an orange and grapefruit grove where we bought a 15-pound bag of freshly picked navel oranges for $3 and a 15-pound bag of pink grapefruits for $4! Fresh fruit at a bargain price—it just doesn’t get better. I was very impressed.



The scenery was spectacular; we finally saw the “sea of brilliant colors” we were promised, and it was awe-inspiring. We even spotted a few idyllic farms.

We ended the day with a simple, delicious meal of shrimp tacos with citrus-avocado salsa. Our fresh sweet oranges and tart grapefruits were tossed with creamy local avocados (from Terri, who you’ll learn more about in a later post) and sprinkled on top of spicy, crispy shrimp tacos. I took one bite and declared, “Now this was worth 5 hours of driving.”

Shrimp Tacos with Citrus-Avocado Salsa
Makes 4 servings
Print recipe only here.

Salsa:
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
3 scallions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 ruby red or pink grapefruit, peeled, de-seeded, and diced
1 navel orange peeled, de-seeded, and diced
1/4 cup peeled jicama, diced
1 avocado, diced and sprinkled with lime juice to prevent discoloration
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno pepper (without seeds)
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Tacos:
24 extra large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil, for searing shrimp
juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 flour or corn tortillas

To make the salsa, simply combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl and toss gently until well combined.

Place the shrimp in a large bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat and set aside for 5-10 minutes.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook 5 to 6 minutes, turning to ensure that they brown evenly on both sides. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lime over the shrimp and sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Remove to a plate when cooked.

To assemble tacos, heat tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 minute per side or, using metal tongs, simply hold over an open flame until warmed and slightly charred. Place three shrimp on each tortilla; serve with salsa and extra fresh cilantro for garnish. Serve immediately.

You might also like these citrus-y dishes:

• Wild arugula and blood orange salad with proscuitto
• Sicilian salad of fennel, oranges, and olives
  
• Mexican citrus salad with orange-lime vinaigrette
  
• Kona Kampachi with Meyer lemon-thyme butter
  
• Honeyed orange ginger muffins
  
• Italian Easter rice pie (with Meyer lemon)
• Warm citrus and banana cups
  

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Kona Kampachi with Meyer Lemon-Thyme Butter

When we were kids I used to drive my brothers nuts singing the "Lemon Tree" song over and over again.

Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet

But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.

Well not if it's a Meyer lemon. With their sweet-tart tang, they're bold enough to make you pucker slightly but sweet enough to eat a slice raw. That's because a Meyer lemon is a citrus hybrid -- a cross between a regular lemon and a sweet orange or a mandarin -- making it less acidic and much sweeter than regular lemons.

Meyer lemons are rotund and have a soft, thin rind that almost glows golden orange when fully ripe. Their flavor is quite complex with brush strokes of bright lemon, shades of tangy lime, and hints of sweet orange.

I buy my Meyer lemons at local farmers' markets, but fortunately most supermarkets carry them seasonally from December-April. Now's the time to buy them while they're at their peak.

Then cook them with some exceptionally flavorful Kona Kampachi,^® a sushi-grade Hawaiian yellowtail that is sustainably raised off the coast of Hawaii. Since it has no detectable levels of mercury and has high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids -- which have been linked to a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease -- Kona Kampachi is also healthy for you.

If you can't get to Hawaii to eat some Kona Kampachi, then consider buying some online from Kona Blue. I received my thick, snowy white, incredibly fresh fish fillets courtesy of Hannah.

Though it can be eaten raw, I quickly pan seared the fillets, which because of their high fat content, rendered the fish crispy on the outside and moist and flaky on the inside. Everyone knows that fish and citrus are beautiful together, but eating this succulent Kona Kampachi with browned, buttery Meyer lemons elevated this weeknight dinner to something truly special.

That's why I'm sending my Kona Kampachi with yellow Meyer lemons to Zorra of the beautiful Kochtopf for her International Women's Day event. Celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women this year on March 8th by sending Zorra your yellow food submissions.

I still find myself singing the "Lemon Tree" song when I'm cooking with Meyer lemons, but since my brothers are in RI, now I drive only Jeff nuts.



Kona Kampachi with Meyer Lemon-Thyme Butter
Serves 2
Print recipe only here.

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
the flesh of 1/2 de-seeded Meyer lemon, minced until pulpy
1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
1 sprig of fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

8 ounces Kona Kampachi fillets
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil

1 Meyer lemon, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon butter or olive oil

Combine all ingredients for the citrus butter in a small bowl and mix with your fingertips, ensuring that the fruit and seasonings are incorporated into the butter. Set aside.

For the fish, melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Rub fish fillets on both sides with half of the citrus butter and place in the hot skillet. Cook fillets for 3-4 minutes, then flip once and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until opaque and slightly browned. If you'd like the fish more rare, then reduce the cooking time by half.

Meanwhile, melt 1/2 teaspoon of butter in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add a whole sliced Meyer lemon, and cook for about 1-2 minutes, flip once, and cook an additional 1 minute, or until lightly browned.

Melt remaining half of the citrus butter in the microwave or on the stove top and drizzle on top of the cooked fish before serving. Garnish with additional fresh thyme, if desired.

P.S. This morning I saw Jaime's comment mentioning Elly's (of elly says opa!) Eat to the Beat event. Elly's looking for your music-related recipes (by March 2nd), and this one seems just right, especially since I can't get the darned lyrics out of my head.

You might also like:

• Fish Tacos
• Fiery Shrimp with Avocado-Pomegranate-Tangerine Salsa
• Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Kumquats
  
• Tagliatelle with Shrimp and Fennel
• Swordfish with Pineapple Mango Salsa
  

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Honeyed Orange Ginger Muffins (Quat, Optional)

Orangequats

It's February, cold, snowy, blustery February. The time when children and adults don their cozy mittens and puffy jackets to go sledding or ice skating or -- best of all -- build snowmen. That is if you live somewhere where there's weather. You know like "cold," "snow," "storm" and, the granddaddy of them all, "blizzard."

Since I'm in San Diego, I won't be building snowmen anytime soon (it was in the '70s earlier this week). So I've been occupying myself with a different winter pastime -- experimenting in the kitchen with the "quats."

After my success with Coconut Lemonquat Cake, I was inspired to keep baking.

So I wrote my next Kitchen Window article for NPR on kumquats, where I have recipes for:

• Watercress and Endive Salad with Kumquats
• Kumquat and Dried Cherry Chutney
• Tilapia with Kumquat Citrus Butter
• Coconut Kumquat Tea Cake
  

Now it's time for muffins. I actually made three different versions of this recipe, until this past Saturday, when the stars and elements aligned, creating the perfect muffin. Yes, that's a bold statement to make, but after you taste one, you may agree.

Orangequats (also called mandarinquats) are a citrus hybrid of kumquats and oranges. Don’t let their diminutive size fool you. These remarkably juicy fruits have a big, bold orange flavor that is twinged with tartness. Like kumquats, the entire fruit is edible, including the thin rind. Just watch out for a couple of tiny seeds inside that need to be removed (or spit out, when no one's looking).

Orangequats are wonderful for savory salsas on top of pork and seafood or sliced atop a salad of bitter greens such as frisee. For sweet dishes, try them sprinkled on top of a bowl of vanilla ice cream, sliced and dipped in chocolate, or baked into cakes and muffins.

These sprightly yellow muffins taste and look like sunshine has been baked right into them. When you bite into one, you'll taste hints of honey, ginger, and vanilla and find them chock full of plump, sweet golden raisins and flecks of brightly colored orangequats. So I'm sending them to Lia of Swirling Notions, this week's gracious host of the wonderful Weekend Herb Blogging, created by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen.

Don't despair if you can't find orangequats. These muffins are wonderful with navel oranges as well. I know, I've made and eaten both.

Honeyed Orange Ginger Muffins (Quat, Optional)
Makes 12 muffins.
Print recipe only here.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup freshly squeezed navel orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1/4 cup finely minced navel orange pulp (OR, if using orangequats, 3-4 de-seeded fruits, rinds included, minced until pulpy, about 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon navel orange zest (about 1 orange)
2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup coarsely chopped golden raisins

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Spray a 12 mold regular size muffin pan with cooking spray.

If using orangequats, then de-seed them by slicing the fruits into rounds with a sharp pairing knife. Using the tip of the knife, gently pluck out the seeds.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, egg, and juice. Add the orange pulp, orange zest, ginger, honey, and vanilla, and whisk until just combined. Add to the flour mixture and stir quickly until well combined. Fold in the raisins. Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 molds.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before removing each muffin and placing on a wire rack to cool.

You might also like:
Date, Fennel, and Pistachio Scones
Persimmon and Date Bread
Banana Coconut Almond Bread
Warm Banana and Citrus Cups

Other orange-y desserts I've admired:
Orange Poppy Seed Cake with Candied Kumquats from Swirling Notions
Orange, Chocolate, and Ricotta Cake from Lucullian Delights
Orange Creme Caramel from Trial and Error


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What's More Fun Than Saying Lemonquat? Eating Coconut Lemonquat Tea Cake

Is there another name as fun to say as "kumquat"?

Yes. Lemonquat, limequat, and orangequat (also called mandarinquat).

I didn't make these up; they are citrus hybrids -- part kumquat and part lemon, lime, or orange, respectively.

fresh lemonquats and orangequats

Last year I shared a sensory experience of my first tart, lip-puckering kumquat. Ever since that day nearly two years, I anticipate kumquat season (which runs from January-May).

Imagine my excitement when a couple of weeks ago, I discovered mandarinquats on Eggbeater's delightful blog. I was determined to find them. Last Sunday, I did.

A soft-spoken, affable farmer named George T. Schnurer, who owns and operates Betty B's Ranch in Ramona, California, sells a wide variety of cheerful citrus, including orangequats, lemonquats, and di rigeur Meyer lemons.

Though the juicy sweet-tart orangequats have a robust orange flavor that I love, I am positively smitten with the lemonquats. You might expect given their name that lemonquats are overly sour or acidic. They aren't. Like lemon drops, they're rather sweet with hints of tartness.

Lemonquats like kumquats are entirely edible. Though wonderful raw, they're simply amazing in baked goods. Despite their playful name and unique flavor, there aren't too many recipes for lemonquats, that is, except for hard drinks. Since this is G- rated blog, I figured I'd do something more wholesome, like cake.

So I consulted the ultimate baking cookbook: Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. I used Dorie's basic Coconut Tea Cake, then flavored it with lemonquats (rind and pulp included), and drizzled it with a simple lemon icing, toasted coconut, and sliced lemonquats.

It was truly one of the most scrumptious cakes I've ever eaten. Biting into the slightly crunchy, sweet icing gave way to a fabulously moist, dense cake speckled with tiny bits of explosively flavored lemonquats. It's ideal for brunch or an afternoon snack since it's not overly sweet. Rest assured, however, the flavor will leave you sighing with contentment.

If you can't find lemonquats (they're grown primarily in California and have a heartbreakingly short season), then try Melissas.com which sells all types of produce online. Otherwise, I would suggest substituting Meyer lemons or regular lemons with a bit more sugar since they're not as sweet.


Coconut Lemonquat Tea Cake
Print recipe only here.

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup canned unsweetened lite coconut milk, stirred well (or regular coc. milk)
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
4 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 de-seeded lemonquats, with the rind, minced until pulpy, (about 1/4 cup), plus 1 tablespoon of lemonquat juice**
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted

Icing and garnish:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
a few droplets of milk

1/4 cup shredded, sweetened coconut, toasted
2-3 lemonquats, thinly sliced and de-seeded

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter or coat with cooking spray a 9-10-inch Kugelhopf or Bundt pan. Dorie advises to not place the pan on a baking sheet, since you want the oven's heat to circulate through the inner tube.

To toast the coconut, place in a dry skillet over medium heat, and gently stir until aromatic and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Keep your eye on it since it burns quite quickly!

In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan, add the butter, and heat until the milk is hot and the butter is melted. Remove from the heat but keep warm.

Working with a hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, in a large bowl beat the eggs, sugar, and minced lemonquats with juice at medium-high speed until pale, thick and almost doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and stopping just when the flour dissolves.

Keeping the mixer on low, add 1 cup of coconut, mixing only until blended, then slowly add the hot milk and butter. When the mixture is smooth, stop mixing, and stir it a couple of times with a rubber spatula to be sure it's throughly mixed. Pour the batter into the pan and gently shake it to even the batter.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted deep into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool at room temperature.

Meanwhile, make the icing in a small bowl by whisking together 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Add a few droplets of milk and continue whisking until the icing is smooth and thin yet clings to the back of a spoon. When it's ready, pour it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any tiny clumps of confectioners' sugar (thanks, Mom!).

Unmold the cake, and place on a rack. Using a spoon, drizzle the icing in a back-and-forth pattern on the slightly warm cake. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of toasted coconut, and garnish with sliced lemonquats. Allow to set for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

**If you are unable to find lemonquats, then I suggest using sweet and tangy Meyer lemons or regular lemons sweetened with a little bit of sugar. I would mince 1/4 cup's worth of lemon pulp, the zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon juice, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Of course, you can make it sweeter if you like.

Coming soon to a Food Blogga near you:
Orangequat Muffins!

You might also like:
Date, Fennel, and Pistachio Scones
Olive Oil Cake with Rosemary and Lemon
Tuscan Torta di Mele (apple cake)

Other delicious lemon-y desserts I've seen:
Lemony Meyer Lemon Curd from Figs with Bri
Lemon Meringue Bars from Baking Bites
Citrus-Glazed Polenta Cake from Dulcedo

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Kisses & Kumquats

We tend to remember firsts in life. Our first kiss, our first concert, our first kumquat. I remember my first kumquat. It was on Sunday, February 26, 2006 at 9:14 AM at our farmers' market. (My first kiss was somewhat before then).

Kumquats' teeny size and bright orange rind make them impossibly cheerful. I was enamored at first sight.

"Those are so cute," I said to the farmer. "What are they?"

"Kumquats" he answered.

"What do they taste like?" I asked.

"Here, try for yourself," he said, handing me one.

Unsure how to peel it, I asked, “Do you just eat the whole thing?”

“The whole thing,” he said.

I bit into the kumquat, whose exterior is like a delicate orange rind, only sweeter. Then my teeth sunk into the flesh, and the juice squirted into my mouth. POW! a jolt of tartness hit my taste buds, and my salivary glands instantly went into overdrive. Involuntarily, my cheeks sucked-in, my lips puckered, and my eyes squinted. Just writing that sentence (and looking at that picture) made me have a visceral reaction again.

Like everything in else in life, it’s all about expectations. Kumquats are deceptive. Their diminutive size and adorable appearance makes them seem harmless, but they sucker-punch you with an intensely tart citrus flavor. It's like expecting the sweetness of a gummy bear but getting the whallop of a Sour Patch Kid (which I happened to love when I was a girl).

Cooking kumquats, however, mellows their acidity, making them a refreshingly tangy, citrusy compliment to seafood and tofu. Though many kumquat recipes are for desserts and jams, they also work well in savory dishes.

Here are a couple more kumquat recipes I've found. Rachel from Coconut and Lime has a deliciously refreshing Kiwi Kumquat Salad featuring raw kumquats while Gattina from Kitchen Unplugged has an elegant Kumquat Chiffon Cake featuring caramelized kumquats.

I am submitting this recipe to Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen who is hosting this week's Weekend Herb Blogging.

Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Kumquats
Makes 2 servings.
Print recipe only here.

1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tsp olive oil
½ cup seeded, thinly sliced kumquats
½ fresh green jalapeno, diced
½ cup orange juice or tangerine juice
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp honey
6-8 sea scallops
2 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1-2 tsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 Tbsp pistachios

1 cup cooked basmati or jasmine rice

Combine juice, kumquats, shallot, lime juice, jalapeno, and honey in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Pat scallops dry with a paper towel before cooking to produce less splatter and to sear more effectively. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-heat high, add 2 tsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil. Once melted and bubbly, add the scallops; cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden and browned and just opaque in the center.

Arrange rice on plates; add 3-4 scallops, and top with kumquat sauce. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and pistachios.



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