Specialty Citrus Fruits

Clockwise from top right: blood orange, key lime, lime, Meyer lemon

With a peak season of mid-winter, citrus fruits typically brighten plates when other fruits are not available. But the resurgence of South-east Asian, Latin and island-influenced cuisines has seen the rise of distinctive citrus flavors year-round in mojos, sauces and feisty marinades. The juice not only adds a hit of bright flavor, its acid acts as a tenderizer for the tougher, inexpensive cuts of meat that define these cuisines. The following varieties of specialty citrus can add subtle or powerful flavors to salad dressings, sauces, desserts or cocktails.

Meyer Lemons: Smaller and rounder than regular lemons, with a thin, smooth peel ranging from greenish to rich yellow-orange, some say this variety is a cross between a mandarin and a lemon, but the actual origin remains unknown. While the rind lacks typical lemon-peel aroma, the pulp is dark yellow and less acidic than a regular lemon, imparting a fruitier, smoother flavor that requires less sugar in cooking. Its flavor and aroma hints of sweet lime, lemon and mandarin, making it particularly useful in dishes such as pies, tarts, custards and sorbets where lemon is the star. Look for Meyer lemons November through mid-winter.

Key Limes: One of the few specialty citrus fruits available throughout the summer, key limes are much smaller than typical limes, ranging from 1-2 in. in diameter, with a thin, smooth, greenish-yellow peel and flesh. But the lime’s aroma, juiciness and tart flavor makes it an irreplaceable ingredient in South American and island cui-sines, as well as sauces, beverages, meat and fish marinades and, of course, pie.

Kaffir Limes/Leaves: Grown in Southeast Asia and Hawaii, this small, pear-shaped fruit has a bright green skin that is bumpy and wrinkled. The sour pulp and juice are commonly discarded for being too bitter, but the rind and glossy, dark-green leaves are used in Asian dishes. The aromatic leaves impart a fragrance similar to lemongrass. Dried rind and leaves are more common in Asian markets, but fresh specimens are sometimes available.

Blood Oranges: A member of the sweet orange group, these smaller, thin-skinned fruits gain instant appeal when cut open. The flesh may be flecked, if not completely colored, various shades of red from scarlet to purple. The flavorful juice, sweet-tart and full of citrus flavor with berry overtones, also bears sanguine shades. Segments of the orange are beautiful in green salads, its juice creates a striking vinaigrette. Look for blood oranges with other winter-crop citrus, beginning in December.

Bitter Oranges: Also known as Seville or Bergamot oranges, this variety is too sour to eat, and its use was once limited to marmalades and liqueurs. With the popularity of Latin and Caribbean-inspired foods, bitter oranges have resurfaced as a necessary ingredient in mojos and marinades, as their highly astringent quality and sour citrus flavor make for a superior meat tenderizer and seasoning. Look for bitter oranges beginning in December.