They are entirely edible like kumquats--seeds, peel, & all. [Most people find the seeds to be bitter & discard them] They are loaded with Vitamin C & folic acid, & have wide use applications. They can be eaten raw or cooked & work well in savory & sweet dishes & drinks, as do most citrus fruits. In our home it is a scramble to secure as many as we can each Winter & preserve a bunch to extend the season for our family. I make marmalade, curd, & syrups, being sure to freeze quite a bit in an attempt to last us the year. You can usually find them with the other Winter Citrus in specialty markets & maybe even your local Whole Foods -- We are very lucky indeed to be able to source them at our local Co-Op, Rising Tide.
handful in half & squeeze the juice in, AND add the halves as well to 1:1 water & sweetener. This method really makes the most of their amazing flavor. Once you strain off your syrup, simply pick out the seeds & let the fruit pieces cool-- then enjoy candied limequats on salads or as cocktail garnishes! Limequat syrup plays well with gin, tequila, & vodka, & it is particularly thirst-quenching in bubbly soda water as well for a simple, exotic homemade soda.
the curd is the way to go if you plan to only make one limequat recipe. Enjoy it on scones & toast [with or without clotted cream] or use it to fill tarts with my super quick [CHEAT!] sablée crust. You’ll be so glad you did! Here’s how: Super Easy, No-Bake Sablée Crust for Tarts 10 oz Shortbread Cookies 6 TBS Unsalted Butter, melted 2 TBS Light Brown Sugar 1 TBS Refined Sugar
Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before filling & you are all set! Seriously, no blind baking, no pie weights. You are good to go. This is enough to make a nice, thick crust for a large 9” tart or many smaller tartlets. Now on to the CURD! Limequat Curd 3 Large Eggs 1 cup Sugar ⅔ cups Limequat Juice* 2 TBS Limequat Zest* 4 TBS Unsalted Butter, small diced & chilled Pinch Sea Salt * Feel free to add some regular lime juice &/or kumquat juice if you don't have enough limequats. For the zest, I highly recommend mixing in a little lime & kumquat zest with your limequats as the blend of yellow, green & orange is very pretty in the finished curd.
There it is-- A pretty spectacular result from very little effort! I hope you enjoy the post & give the curd a try. It is always a hit. The tarts are so pretty too-- Please let me know what you think if you make it & share PICTURES! Until next time -- Remember to #StopAndEatTheFlowers
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Hardy in zones 9 - 11, scented geraniums will not tolerate frost, but make lovely houseplants in lower zones & have no issues living in containers. Indoors, they will need some sun & will tend to get leggy when not regularly pinched back. Pinching them back also encourages flowering, & is rather a joy as a fresh leaf or 2 added to your morning cup of tea is lovely. I like to let ours get quite leggy, then give him a good haircut when the urge to make something strikes me. My favorites to make with the cuttings are Geranium Lemoncello, Geranium Blood Orange Curd, & the sorbet recipe I will share here -- which leads me to Gerald, our ‘Attar of Rose’ scented geranium.
Having just given Gerald a major haircut, we have plenty to go around -- if you’d like a cutting, pop on in to the store & I will gladly give you one free of charge! All we ask in return is that you give your plant a name starting with ‘G’ to keep Gerald’s line going! :D Tag your baby on instagram with #GeraldIsLegion so we cansee your results!
It isn’t mandatory, but consistently helps to provide the best results. I use vodka to avoid affecting the taste. Additionally, you can substitute honey, maple syrup, or agave for the sugar, but it will affect the overall flavor. Second, churning your base really is crucial to achieving the creamy texture we’re after. If you don’t own [or want to own] an ice cream maker, you can use this recipe & freeze your base into granita, which is icier in texture but equally delicious. I will run through ‘No-Churn’ instructions as well. Third, this recipe will make about 3 cups of sorbet, which should be more than enough for 8-10 small servings. It can easily be scaled up if you need, but keep in mind it is meant to be served in small portions. We find it keeps well in the freezer for about a month, staying smooth & easily scoop-able. My final note is that you can absolutely use any scented geranium to flavor your batch. Gerald is not the only game in town in this matter [although he does make an exquisite sorbet!] Okay--Let’s do it! Rose-Geranium Sorbet
Ice Cream Machine Directions: Add to chilled machine & follow machine directions [about 20-30 minutes usually.] Scoop into freezer container, smoothing with a spatula. I prefer a long, shallow container so I can get nice curls when serving. ENJOY! Freezer Method: Pour base into container, cover & place in your freezer. After a couple hours [semi-solid state,] take it out & hand-churn it up with a fork. Place it back in the freezer. Once it has refrozen, scoop it all out & put it in a blender or food processor. Run it until it is mostly smooth. This version will be more like a granita, icier than true churned sorbet. Cover & refreeze until serving. This version should stay scoop-able for about 3 days. ENJOY!
There it is! I hope you enjoy the post & give this lovely, herbal sorbet a try. This recipe is super-easy to make & always a hit. It is so unusual & elegant. Please let me know what you think if you make it!
I am 100% serious about coming in for free cuttings of Gerald. And about sharing your results with #GeraldIsLegion. This is definitely a cultivar we want to keep around! Until next time--Stay safe & remember to #StopAndEatTheFlowers [or leaves as the case may be!] |
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