The wonderful blood orange, or Citrus sinensis, according to the Wikipedia entry, is quite the unusual fruit. I have had many of these fruits in my travels to both Spain, and Italy, and it is quite the treat when I find them here at the local market. I was able to purchase some for a reasonable price, and even though it is not “the season” so to speak, these oranges make quite the late night snack, and mouth refresher. Sometimes we need to break out of the monotony of eating the same fruits over and over, and I think using the blood orange not only lends itself to new flavors, but makes current dishes even better. For example, blood oranges can be used to make vinegrettes (with balsamic vinegar), and also they can be used in juicer mixes (like with carrots, apples, etc.). In Italy it is quite common for breakfast to be served with freshly squeezed blood orange juice (usually at room temperature). Yes, you will not find many chilled juices in Italy (especially southern Italy).
According to Wikipedia, “The distinctive dark flesh color is due to the presence of anthocyanin, a pigment common to many flowers and fruit, but uncommon in citrus fruits. Sometimes there is dark coloring on the exterior of the rind as well, depending on the variety of blood orange. The degree of coloration depends on light, temperature and variety. The blood orange is a hybrid of ancient origin, possibly between the pomelo and the tangerine. It probably originated in Sicily.” The taste is quite amazing. It is a warm, tangy taste, without the acidity of an orange, and the smooth taste of fruit punch.
“Sicilian Red oranges contain nutritional and preventive properties. As a result, growers incorporated blood oranges into their home remedies for centuries. Current research indicates that blood oranges are a good source of Vitamin C. The fruit’s red pigment, anthocyanin, is an antioxidant that reduces the risks associated with many ailments, including age-related illnesses. Blood oranges contain about 130 percent of the recommended amounts of Vitamin C, and diminish the risk of heart disease, some types of cancer and “bad” cholesterolcataracts, and aid in the body’s healing process. One medium-size orange contains 260 milligrams of potassium, 15 percent of the FDA’s daily recommendation. Potassium also lowers blood pressure, decreasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, helps to regulate heart rhythm, and affects body growth and maintenance. Eating a medium-sized orange provides 28 percent of the recommended daily amount of dietary fiber. Oranges provide more fiber than any of the top 20 fruits or vegetables. Oranges can also be a valuable source of iron, calcium and vitamin A.” build-up.
Some more pics of this tasty treat as I rip open the tasty flesh. Be warned, the juice will stain so be careful who you “splash”. Hahaha. Enjoy! (Notice the dark flesh. Ohhh so good)
When I saw these little guys in the market, I thought, they probably have a tomato like taste. Nope! These things are sweet sweet sweet! Delicious on its own. These are a variety of persimmon known as Hachiya, which is a Japanese cultivar containing a high tannin content before it has ripened. Lucky for me, the persimmon I bought were totally ripe and delicious when I bought them. I could tell when I picked them up as they felt sorta squishy inside. Had I gotten unripened ones, they would have had a super bitter taste due to the high tannin content which reduces as the fruit ripens. The taste when ripe is very sweet, somewhere in the taste spectrum of plum or pumpkin or dates. It really is quite a treat.
I could enjoy these as is for a treat without ever needing to find a more creative use for them. They are THAT good. But, in the interest of the blog, I decided to look up the culinary and medicinal uses of the persimmon. Here’s what good ole Wikipedia has to say:
Culinary uses
Persimmons are eaten fresh or dried, raw or cooked. When eaten fresh the peel is usually cut/peeled off and the fruit is often cut into quarters or eaten whole like an apple. The flesh ranges from firm to mushy and the texture is unique. The flesh is very sweet and when firm possesses an apple-like crunch. In China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam after harvesting, ‘Hachiya’ persimmons are prepared using traditional hand-drying techniques, outdoors for two to three weeks. The fruit is then further dried by exposure to heat over several days before being shipped to market. In Japan the dried fruit is called hoshigaki (???), and in Korea it is called gotgam (hangul: ??). In both places it is eaten as a snack or dessert and used for other culinary purposes. In Korea, dried persimmon fruits are used to make the traditional Korean spicy punch, sujeonggwa, while the matured, fermented fruit is used to make a persimmon vinegar (???) that is believed to have a wide variety of holistic properties. The hoshigaki tradition traveled to California with Japanese American immigrants. A few farms still practice the art, which is being revived in part through the efforts of Slow Food USA, which describes the technique on its site and provides links to producers. [5] [6] In some areas of Manchuria and Korea, the dried leaves of the fruit are used for making tea. The Korean name for this tea is ghamnip cha (???).
The persimmon also figures prominently in American culinary tradition. It can be used in cookies, cakes, puddings, salads and as a topping for breakfast cereal. Persimmon pudding is a dessert using fresh persimmons. An annual persimmon festival, featuring a persimmon pudding contest, is held every September in Mitchell, Indiana. Persimmon pudding is a baked pudding that has the consistency of pumpkin pie but resembles a brownie and is almost always topped with whipped cream. Persimmons may be stored at room temperature (20°C) where they will continue to ripen. It is also a native plant in Brazil, South America, where it is referred to as the Caqui.Ethnomedical Uses
* In traditional Chinese medicine the fruit regulates ch’i
* The raw fruit is used to treat constipation and hemorrhoids, and to stop bleeding. As such, it is not a good idea to consume too many persimmons at once- they can induce diarrhea.
* The cooked fruit is used to treat diarrhea and dysentery
So, after reading this, I decided I would just try to introduce the persimmon into the cabbage leaf wraps I have been eating lately. So, I cut up some red onions, tomato, jalapeno pepper, and garlic, added a spoon full of hummus, a sprinkle of sun flower seeds (or as I like to call them FUN FLOWERS…actually that is a lie, I never say that), a tiny splash of balsamic vinegar all wrapped up in a cabbage leaf. Here’s a picture of the finished product:
The persimmon blended so well with the jalapeno and hummus flavors. Something about the opposition of flavors made them work very well together, similar to how hot chocolate + cayenne pepper is surprisingly yummy). The tomato flavor was somewhat overshadowed in the mix and the red onions worked, but I am guessing something like ginger might be a better fit. The sprouts worked pretty well but something about the texture was a bit off. I’d like to experiment with other sprouts that better compliment the almost jelly like texture of the super ripe persimmon. The tatse of the garlic worked well with the hummus, jalapeno and persimmon as well, but I could take it or leave it depending on what else was in the wrap. I will definitely experiment using my remaining 2 persimmon is similar fashion. I was going to juice them, but I almost feel that would be a waste because the texture goes together so well with the sweet taste. All in all, this is a new favorite for me. I will definitely be including persimmon in my future shopping trips.
Introducing a new category…WTF is this? And how do I eat it? I’m starting this category because, as I find better markets, with better fruit and vegetable selections to shop at, I am seeing some items for the very first time. Usually this would disuade me from buying it, instead hoping to remember what it was called and look it up later at home. Usually I forget, so in the interest of expanding my palette’s horizons, I am just buying the weird things I find, and will be writing about my experiences trying out the new, strange vegetables an fruits. Hopefully this will encourage some of you to also try these lesser known edibles.
Today I’ll be sharing with you my first experience with a Chayote. I found them on sale, 4 for $1.99. Here’s a picture. The one on the left is set upside down so I could show you the funny mouth shaped crease it has. It’s smiling at you!
Chayotes (Sechium edule) are from the gourd family, and while they may look like a pear or an apple are actually considered a vegetable. Before looking this information up, I washed off my chayote and bit into it assuming it would be pear-like, but the taste was more like semi-sweet celery. The texture was like a firm apple or pear though, and it seemed to have a lot of fluid in it. To be honest, my initial reaction wasn’t what I hoped for and it was a bit of a chore to chew and swallow what I had already bitten. So, I put it back in the fridge and decided I should look up just how these things are used before I go and ruin my initial impression of it.
Wikipedia has the following to say on the Chayotes culinary and medicinal uses:
Although most people are familiar only with the fruit, which in culinary terms is a vegetable, the root, stem, seeds, and leaves are all edible.The fruit does not need to be peeled and can be eaten raw in salads. It can also be boiled, stuffed, mashed, baked, fried, or pickled. Both the fruit and the seed are rich in amino acids and vitamin C.The tuberous part of the root is starchy and is both eaten by humans and used as cattle fodder.The leaves and fruit have diuretic, cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory properties, and a tea made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of arteriosclerosis and hypertension, and to dissolve kidney stones. In Taiwan, chayotes are widely planted for its shoot, known as lóng xü cài (Tr. Ch. ???, lit. Dragon-whisker vegetable). Along with the young leaves, the shoot is a commonly consumed vegetable in the region.
Well, it did taste like celery but with the texture of a firm apple to me, so putting it in a salad would probably work well. Having already had a salad today, I decided instead to try to juice it. A surprising amount of geenish juice came out of this thing, and combined with apple juice and carrot juice, it blended pretty well. On it’s own, the juice of the chayote reminds me of a less severe tasting wheat grass, and that underlying flavor is detectable in the final mix of carrot, chayote, and apple.
My back is sore today, so maybe the juice also has some anti-inflammatory qualities and might help. We’ll see…
Definitely an interesting discovery, but I am not sure how else I will be using the other 3…stay tuned. I bet you could make a good pie with these and spice it up like an apple pie, but I won’t go on about that, or any other possible ways to COOK this vegetable. Mostly I will wait and see if it makes me feel any different, and if it does, then maybe I will buy it for the effect of the juice, but as for the flavor, I enjoy other veggies more than I do the chayote.