If there was ever a piece of produce that packed the biggest punch no matter the meal, it would have to be citrus. Not only is citrus packed with good-for-you vitamin C, it’s a flavor enhancer for most every dish.
“Citrus helps to break up fats and sweetness and helps to build flavor,” Emily Brubaker, executive chef at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, told Organic Spa. “I don’t think I’ve ever cooked a fish without squeezing lemon on it at the end!”
Turns out, it’s the versatility of citrus that makes it a perfect way to savor the summer.
“The colors remind us of summer,” she says. “You can use it in so many things, especially during this time of year when we’re grilling a lot and reaching for room temp salads and sides.”
You can also substitute vinegar for citrus in dressings.
“I like squeezing fresh grapefruit, lime or blood orange,” she adds. “It adds that fruitiness to savory dishes in such a great way.”
Or just top grilled fish with citrus if you’re seeking a perfect blend of flavors.
“I love grilling fish and adding fresh grapefruit segments on top instead of topping it with a heavy sauce,” she says. “You can also add capers, parsley to add brininess.”
Emily Brubaker
Whether it’s in a salad, entrees or side, citrus is a star. Here, Brubaker’s favorite ways to use citrus:
SALAD/Arugula Salad with tangerine dressing
“Tangerine juice mixed with a little mustard, a little olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper and garlic combines to make a tasty dressing on top of arugula,” Brubaker says. “Add a little bit of feta cheese and radish to bring out a crunch and you’ve got a yummy salad to enjoy during the last days of summer.”
Ingredients
2 cups wild arugula
4 tangerines, half juiced/half segmented
¼ cup feta cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 radishes, thinly sliced
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 pinch dried thyme leaves
Salt and pepper as needed
Directions
Mix mustard, tangerine juice, olive oil and dried thyme together. Toss dressing on arugula, tangerines, feta and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper
ENTRÉE/Grilled Branzino
“I love to segment a lemon and mix it with parsley, shallot, capers and olive oil,” she says. “This creates a perfect dressing. Pair this with grilled vegetables and you’ve got one of my go-to meals.”
Ingredients
1 cleaned branzino
1 tsp capers, chopped
1 bunch parsley chopped
1 small shallot diced
2 lemons (1 lemon for the sauce, the other is grilled)
¼ cup olive oil
1 pinch salt
Directions
For fish: Season the branzino with salt and pepper. Spray both sides with cooking spray so it won’t stick to the grill. Lay the fish down on a hot grill and do not touch it for three minutes. Place each half lemon, exposed side down, on the hot grill. Check the fish. If the skin moves away easily, flip and let the second side cook for five minutes. After three to five minutes (or when there is a dark grill mark on them), remove lemons.
For sauce: Mix lemon juice, lemon segments, capers, shallot, parsley, olive oil and salt together.
Serve branzino with sauce over the skin and grilled lemons on the side for a fresh squeeze.
SIDE/Grilled asparagus with charred grapefruit, eggs and bacon
“This is a perfect summer appetizer,” she says. “When you zest the grapefruit it gets a nice floral, almost perfume-y flavor and, when you char grapefruit on the grill, it makes the sweetness of the fruit pop.”
Ingredients
1 bunch asparagus
2 eggs, cooked over easy in a sauté pan with olive oil
3 strips cooked bacon, crispy, chopped
1 ruby red grapefruit, zested and cut in half
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper as needed
Directions
Season asparagus with salt and pepper. Coat with olive oil. Grill asparagus on a hot grill for about five minutes to cook the asparagus but keep the texture. Grill the grapefruit flesh side down until dark grill marks appear. As soon as you remove asparagus from the grill add grapefruit zest to the asparagus. Drizzle with olive and season with salt and pepper. Top asparagus with chopped bacon and over-easy egg.
Serve with grilled grapefruit and squeeze grapefruit over dish to taste.