No. 243: Mixed Citrus Terrine, Orange Broccoli, Lemon Scones, Meyer Lemon Chicken
We're not giving up on citrus yet!
🍃Building Beauty
My front yard was filled with frolicking red-breasted robins this morning; a fire-engine red cardinal came to rest on the front stoop. I was very happy to see the pops of color in the gray, misty landscape – which then promptly devolved into a rainscape. March is so tricky on the Vineyard – more fog than sun, more brown than green. Right about now our cooking needs a lift, too. Anything with a burst of color and bright flavor is welcome, and Abby Dodge’s newest Baking Together recipe arrived just in time to deliver both.
What a delight her snazzy Mixed Citrus Terrine is. It's been a minute since I’ve made anything with gelatin and I forgot how darn easy it is. And while peeling and segmenting the grapefruits, oranges, and blood oranges for this terrine takes some time – and you’ll want to make this a day ahead for the gelatin to set up – the work is straightforward and frankly kind of mesmerizing, watching all the colors pile up in a bowl. After that, the rest is a snap.
Since the terrine serves 8 to 10 people, it would be perfect for a brunch, a holiday dessert, or a wedding shower. But don’t wait for a special occasion. This healthy recipe (no sugar added – just the fresh citrus juices) is delicious anytime and keeps beautifully in the fridge for several days.
🔪TIP
Before peeling and segmenting your citrus fruit, Abby suggests zesting each one separately over a small piece of plastic, folding up, and freezing the packets in a zip-top bag to use later in sauces, vinaigrettes, or baked goods.
🍊 Orange you glad?
Abby’s terrine inspired me to make a few other recipes with citrus. (I know, I already went a little citrus crazy in newsletter #236 in January, but I didn’t begin to exhaust the possibilities!) I made that killer Stir-Fried Broccoli and Peppers with Crispy Orange Peel, Ginger, and Shallots the other night.
And I’m planning to make my favorite Endive & Radicchio Salad with Blood Oranges, Avocado, and Roasted Chickpeas. (Cronig’s still had blood oranges this week.)
If you’re entertaining, you could toss up a batch of Tangerine Thyme Marinated Olives using any citrus.
🍋 Lemon Aid
I’ve been hoarding the three Meyer lemons that my little tree gave me this year. Thinking I would make something terribly clever with them, I waited for brilliant inspiration to arrive. Fearing they might go bad, I finally gave into the overwhelming urge to use them with chicken – specifically this recipe for Crispy Roasted Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Lemon, and Rosemary. I was not sorry I went that route. There’s just something about melty lemons with crispy chicken skin – especially when garlic or onions are added to the mix. (Another great combo is melty fennel + Meyer lemon.)
I’m tempted to use one in place of a regular lemon in my favorite Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette for Chopped Salads.
Sticking with regular lemons for Abby’s Lemon Rosemary Parmesan Scones, though. That’s another recipe that seems custom-made for March. Tender, warm, fragrant, buttery.
🐟 Fishing for Flavor 🍈
Drat – I could write a whole newsletter about citrus and fish. Lime, lemon, orange – they’re all excellent tangy counterparts to sweet, briny fish and shellfish.
You could go as simple as Pan-Fried Fluke with Lemon-Caper-Thyme Butter Sauce.
Or make Cathy Walthers’ Sesame Tuna, Edamame, and Watercress Salad with Citrus Dressing.
Both orange and lime get into the mix in this Spicy Thai Shrimp and Baby Bok Choy Stir-Fry.
I’ll leave the rest of the fish alone for now!
🍹 Drinks, No Booze
If you prefer to get your citrus fix in a drink, you’ll want to try some of Cathy Walthers’ non-alcoholic creations, including the vibrantly colored Vineyard Sunrise (turmeric plus lemon and pineapple in play there!) and the zesty Thai Free with lime, cucumber, mint and cilantro.
Here’s hoping you have a colorful week filled with lots of bright flavors.
– Susie Middleton
P.S. Free subscribers, your next newsletter will be Wednesday, April 3. If you decide you would like to receive the newsletter every week, please remember to upgrade to a paid subscription.
What’s Open, What’s Happening
Morning Glory Farm reopened after their spring cleaning with extra-shiny floors and Robyn Athearn’s beautiful farm-grown flowers (tulips and anemones) for sale. This weekend they’re having back-to-back pop-ups at the food truck on Friday, March 8 (Nonna’s Macaroni) and Saturday, March 9 (Crazy for Katsu) both from 3 to 5 p.m.
This Saturday is the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society’s 8th Annual Meat Ball. Running from 5:30 to 9 p.m., the event features Island-raised meat cooked by Chef Charlie Granquist of Slough Farm and music by Missus Biskus. Vegetarian options available. Please bring your own place settings.
Save the Date: The second annual Female Farmer Panel is taking place at the Ag Society on Thursday, March 21 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Your trusty Cook the Vineyard editor will be moderating the panel, which includes Kate Woods, Meg Athearn, Rebecca Miller, Jo Douglas, and Isa Brillard. A potluck will follow.
For a complete list of what’s open and what’s closed on the Vineyard, check our regularly updated directory: What’s Open.
Photos: tuna, Alison Shaw; drinks, Randi Baird; all others Susie Middleton.
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