Photo credit: www.gardenista.com
This winter, while turning a delightful bounty of Kishu mandarins into rich, dried snacks infused with marmalade goodness, I found myself with an enticing surplus of citrus peels. Disposing of these fragrant remnants felt wasteful, as the thin, almost pith-less skins of mandarins, clementines, and similar easy-peel fruits like satsumas offer concentrated flavor and aroma. This led to an engaging exploration: What methods could I employ to preserve these vibrant qualities?
The resulting creations included clementine zest bourbon, dried bourbon peel, sugar-coated zest, and citrus powders. These innovations sparked further culinary endeavors, featuring zest-enhanced cocktails, soothing hot toddies, refreshing salads, hearty stews, and various sweet baked goods.
Dried citrus peels are more than just byproducts; they are a remarkably versatile ingredient that can last essentially indefinitely.
Photography by Marie Viljoen.
For instance, consider the use of Kishu mandarins, which, with their sweet and seedless segments, provide an excellent option for drying. While any sweet citrus peel is suitable, using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler can efficiently prepare oranges and blood oranges, ensuring most of the bitter pith is removed.
Citrus Bourbon
Creating citrus bourbon is a straightforward process. Begin by packing a clean jar with the peels of mandarins or another easy-peel citrus fruit, before covering them with bourbon. This can be done with the peels from just a few fruits or from a larger batch. Store this jar in a dark place for three days. On the fourth day, strain and bottle the bourbon, and keep the soaked peels for crafting a dried bourbon powder.
Dried Bourbon Powder
After bottling the bourbon, spread the bourbon-infused mandarin peels on parchment sheets and let them air dry at room temperature. They are ready when they become extremely dry and crumble easily upon being crushed (typically taking about three days). Once dried, transfer them to an airtight jar for long-term storage. Dried pieces of bourbon peel can enhance the flavor of beef and pork stews or contribute delicious notes to vegetable curries and winter squash casseroles.
Additionally, I prefer to grind some of the dried bourbon peel into a fine powder, which can be conveniently stored in a small jar. This fine texture allows for easy incorporation into recipes or as a decorative dip for cocktail glass rims.
Source
www.gardenista.com