Salsa uses flavorful citrus

Citrus is the sunshine of winter fruit with a bright and tangy flavor profile to accompany almost any winter dish. In this recipe, I combine all my favorite citrus including the sweetness of Cara Cara oranges, the tang of Ruby Red grapefruit, the floral blood orange and the zing of fresh lime zest. If you find yellow or orange tomatoes, they blend into the citrus and add a surprising flavor. The hot honey balances the acidity and brings in a warm heat reminiscent of jalapeno in a traditional salsa. All these flavors together are terrific on grilled salmon or shrimp or with braised meats in a fresh taco. I hope this recipe inspires you to utilize all the gorgeous winter citrus at the market right now. 

CITRUS SALSA 

YIELD: 4-6 servings 

INGREDIENTS 

1 orange, Cara Cara 

1 grapefruit, Ruby Red 

1 blood orange 

6 cherry tomatoes, diced 

1 t red onion, brunoised (finely diced) 

4 leaves mint, chopped 

5 leaves cilantro, chopped 

1 T hot honey 

½ t lime zest 

Salt and pepper 

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Cut off ends of citrus and place on flat end. Remove rind by cutting in downward strokes turning the fruit to the right so that the meat of the fruit is visible. Keep the blade of your knife inside the membrane inside the rind. 

2. Place the fruit on its side and slice into rounds. Dice rounds and discard the central membrane. 

3. Place diced fruit in bowl and lightly toss with tomato, onion and herbs. 

4. Drizzle with honey and add zest on top. 

5. Enjoy!

Manda Hudak is Program Director/Savory Chef Instructor at Flathead Valley Community College’s Culinary Institute of  Montana. For more information, visit fvcc.edu/culinary