by josie
Both the sweet peel and tart interior of the bite-size kumquat fruit are edible raw.
It’s an odd little fruit with a strange name. The kumquat, long revered by Asian cultures, is appearing in both sweet and savory dishes as American chefs begin to embrace these little gems, and turning up on menus grilled or raw in salads, candied with desserts or adding tart and sweet flavors to main dishes — and even cocktails. Kumquat old-fashioned, mule or caipirinha, anyone?
The kumquat, rich in vitamin C, is considered casually to be part of the citrus family, but scientists group kumquats into their own genus Fortunella. Unlike a typical citrus, the entire fruit is edible, with a thick, sweet skin and a tangy, sour interior.
“The challenge with the kumquat is that people don’t understand it,” says Bernard Guillas, executive chef at La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club in California. “It’s the reverse of an orange. The peel is sweet and the fruit is sour. But it’s beautiful — you can do so much with it.”
Kumquat trees, native to parts of Asia and the South Pacific, are best suited to warm, sunny locations. They’re an intrinsic part of Chinese culture, where the fruit is looked upon as a symbol of good luck and good health. Head to any Chinese New Year celebration and there will likely be a dish of candied or preserved kumquats on the table.
In the U.S., most commercial kumquats come from Florida’s Pasco County between January and March, and California from January to June. The trees also grow naturally in other warm-weather states like Louisiana and Georgia. Homeowners tend to plant them for their fragrant blooms as much as the small fruits that adorn the trees each spring.
“Many of us grew it in our yard because we loved the look, but didn’t know what to do with them because you can only eat so many raw,” explains Helene Beck of La Vigne Organics in Fallbrook, CA, north of San Diego.
Beck and her husband took over an orchard of dying avocado trees with the hopes of undertaking sustainable, biodiverse agriculture. Today, they grow about 3,000 fruit-bearing trees, including kumquats, persimmons, tangerines and limes.
Most farmers in the U.S. grow the oval Nagami variety and, less commonly, the rounder Meiwa variety. The pulp of Nagami kumquat tends to be quite tart, which is why it’s long been overlooked as an ingredient in popular American cuisine.
To prepare kumquats at home, chef Guillas recommends a simple confit: Halve and deseed the kumquats and poach them in a simple syrup with ginger and star anise. “Don’t overcook it or it can get very mushy,” he warns. Since the skin is the sweetest part, he also suggests squeezing out the pulp and making a confit of only the skin, and using that as a garnish on roasted beets.
Kumquats can also be used raw, he says. Just use a microplaner to shave thin slices to serve in a watercress salad or as a garnish on a salmon carpaccio or tuna sashimi. “Just put a shaving on top, some salt, pepper and a little sesame oil — avocado oil if you’re in California — et voilà!” says Guillas, who shares his recipe for sticky rice with kumquat and coconut below. Serve the side dish with chicken, seafood or pork.
Can’t find kumquats at your local market? La Vigne Organics carries a jarred kumquat conserve ($7) that can simply be minced and added to any dish: “You can put them into scones, tea bread, cookies,” says Beck.
Kumquat Coconut Mochi Gome (Sticky Brown Rice)
Serves 6
8 kumquats
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup minced Maui onions
1 cup mochi gome sticky brown rice (uncooked)
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup coconut milk
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup toasted, chopped macadamias
1 zucchini, seeded and diced to ¼-inch
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt to taste
1. Peel kumquats, discarding flesh. Finely chop peel.
2. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook 2 minutes without browning, stirring often. Add rice and kumquat. Stir to coat.
3. Add stock and coconut milk. Bring to simmer. Cover. Cook 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
4. Fold in cilantro, macadamias and zucchini. Season with cayenne pepper and sea salt. Cover pan 2 minutes. Transfer to lidded serving dish. Cover to keep warm.
NUTRITION SCORE (per serving)
279 calories
Fat 21 g
(11 g saturated)
Carbs 23 g
Protein 4 g
Fiber 4 g
Calcium 27 mg
Iron 2 mg
Sodium 36 mg
Photo credit: Beck Grove & La Vigne Organics
