From Jeff Cox

Because so many dishes call for a bit of citrus peel zest, it’s important to locate a source of organic citrus. In 2001, California growers alone used over 3,000 tons of agricultural chemicals on their oranges. Add to that more tons of chemicals used on grapefruit, lemons, tangelos, tangerines, and other citrus. And add to that all the chemicals used in citrus production in Arizona, Texas, and Florida, and you can see the importance of buying organic whenever possible—if only to remove some of those acres from the chemical drenching they get under conventional cultivation.

Dennis Holbrook is a good example of an organic citrus grower. He was raised in a citrus-growing family in Texas. After college, he purchased the family groves from his father, but became disullusioned with conventional agriculture. He decided that “farming organically is nature’s way, and the best way to grow the best-tasting and most nutritious citrus.” He established South Tex Organics to provide consumers the option of buying citrus grown without toxic chemicals. All his fruit meets the USDA’s national organic standards. Other organic producers include Beck Grove in Fallbrook, California; Kelly Hall Groves in Port St. Lucie, Florida; Ladera Fruit Company in Fillmore, California; Uncle Matt’s Organic in Clermont, Florida; New Harvest Organics in Patagonia, Arizona; Purepak, Inc., in Oxnard, California; and Sutherland Produce Sales, Inc., in El Cajon, California.

Holbrook’s statement about organic farming yielding the “most nutritious citrus” isn’t just smoke and mirrors. Students at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, under the direction of visiting chemistry professor Theo Clark, investigated the vitamin C content of organic and conventional oranges. They found that organic oranges contained up to 30 percent more vitamin C than conventionally-grown oranges. Clark reported the findings at the June 2, 2002, Great Lakes Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. He noted that the conventional oranges studied were larger than the organic oranges and had a deeper orange color. Because of their size, “we were expecting twice as much vitamin C in the conventional oranges,” Clark reported. But chemical isolation combined with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that the organically grown oranges contained 30 percent more vitamin C than the conventionally grown fruit, even though they were only about half the size.

Citrus is known to have a cholesterol-lowering effect, and over 20 epidemiological studies have shown that the consumption of citrus is protective against many cancers in humans, including cancers of the oral cavity, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, stomach, lung, colon, and rectum. Citrus is also rich in bioflavonoids and other antioxidants.

While the health effects are a bonus, the real joy of citrus is its delicious taste that ranges from the sharply sour lemons to the wonderfully sweet Murcott’s tangerine-and-orange hybrid. Who could predict from the flavor of citrus alone that orange would go so perfectly with chocolate or strawberries, that lime juice would focus the taste of corn and meld with raw fish, that grapefruit and goat cheese are a natural match? And lemons—they make half the team of lemon and lime, lemon and honey, and lemon and black currants. It was a revelation to me that day when my German mother-in-law poured her homemade black currant syrup over her frozen lemon Bavarian. Lemons also have an affinity for olives. The Olive Press in Glen Ellen, California, markets an olive oil they call Limonato made with local Mission olives and Meyer lemons. They give this recipe for a citrus vinaigrette: six tablespoons of Limonato, two tablespoons fresh orange juice, and one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Drizzle a little on a roasted beet salad on a bed of arugula. I tried it and it is superb.

From December through March, my days begin with a candy-sweet, juicy, luscious, organic white grapefruit—when I can find them. I discovered them when I was interviewing Bern Laxer, owner of Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, for a story for Organic Gardening Magazine. Bern composted all his restaurant’s vegetable waste and used it in a large garden where he grew the ingredients for his salads. As I left, I noticed a grapefruit had fallen to the ground and I asked Bern if I could have it. He said sure, so I took it to a nearby park and made it my sun-warmed lunch.

From that day to this, it was the best thing I ever tasted.

Orange and Almond Rice

1 Tbl. organic butter
2 cups fresh-squeezed organic orange juice
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups raw, long-grain rice
1/2 cup sliced, blanched almonds
¼ cup chopped parsley

1. Combine butter, orange juice, water, salt, and rice in a three-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring once or twice. Reduce heat and cover. Cook, without removing cover or stirring, for 45-50 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
2. Meanwhile, de-stem and chop parsley. Toast sliced almonds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until a light golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Stir almonds and parsley into rice. Serves 8.

Orange Vinaigrette

¼ cup fresh organic orange juice
Juice of ½ lime
1 Tbl. fresh, peeled, minced ginger
1 piece star anise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ cup olive oil
1/8 cup hazelnut oil

Place the orange juice, lime juice, ginger, and star anise in a small pot. Cook over medium heat until half the liquid remains. Strain through a fine sieve and cool to room temperature. Place the liquid in a blender. Add the Dijon mustard and blend until smooth. While the blender is running, add the oils in a slow, steady stream. Season the vinaigrette with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Makes enough to dress four salads.

Lime Tart

For the crust:

2 cups graham crackers, approximately 15 crackers
5 oz. unsalted butter
5 Tbl. sugar

1. In a food processor or in a plastic bag using a rolling pin, grind the graham crackers until fine. Mix in the sugar. Melt butter and add to graham crackers.
2. Spray a nine-inch pie pan with Pam and pour in the mixture. Press mixture into sides then press into the bottom of pan. Let chill in fridge for one hour.
3. Bake the shell on middle rack at 350 F. until golden, approximately 18 to 20 min. Let cool on rack before adding filling.

The filling:

3 large organic eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup + 1 Tbl. sugar
3 Tbl. all purpose flour
7 Tbl. lime juice (strained)
1 cup + 2 Tbl. creme fraiche (can use sour cream)

1. Whisk together eggs, sugar, flour, lime juice, and creme fraiche. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Whisk one more time before pouring into prebaked shell.
2. Bake until center moves slightly when gently shaken, approximately 20 to 24 minutes. Let chill until ready to serve. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Organic Fig-Lime Chutney

My friend John Ash, a well-known chef, gave me this recipe. It’s amazingly good.

1 Tbl. olive oil
1 Tbl. finely chopped, peeled ginger
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tsp. finely chopped serrano chili, or to taste
3/4 lb. dried calmyrna figs, cut into large dice
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup sugar, or to taste
1/2 cup port wine

1. In a sauce pan, heat the oil over moderate heat and sauté the ginger, shallots, and chili until soft but not brown.
2. Reduce heat, add the rest of the ingredients, and continue to cook and gently stir until the mixture is thick but figs still retain their shape, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Store covered in refrigerator for up to a month or for long term storage, freeze or can using the water-bath process. Makes two cups.

The Ultimate French Toast

You think you’ve had good French toast before? Wait until you try this. It’s partially made the night before the breakfast when you intend to serve it.

8 inch-thick slices of high-quality, organic, multigrain bread
2 cups freshly squeezed organic orange juice
¼ cup sugar
6 eggs
3 Tbl. freshly grated orange zest
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbl. Grand Marnier
½ cup half-and-half
3 Tbl. unsalted butter, melted
Pinch salt

For the sauce:

3 Tbl. unsalted butter
2 Tbl. orange marmalade
1 Tbl. Grand Marnier
Real maple syrup

1. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, orange juice, zest, sugar, vanilla, Grand Marnier, and a pinch of salt. Place the bread slices in a 13×9x2-inch baking dish and pour the whisked mixture over the bread, turning after a half hour to coat both sides. Chill in the fridge overnight.
2. In the morning, preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a large baking sheet with butter and arrange the bread slices on it, leaving a couple of inches between slices. Bake for five minutes on a middle rack, then rotate the pan and bake five more minutes. With a spatula, turn the slices over and bake five more minutes, then rotate the sheet and bake five more minutes.
3. While the bread is baking, make the sauce in a saucepan by cooking the butter, marmalade, and Grand Marnier over low heat until the butter melts and all is incorporated smoothly. Place two slices of the French toast on each of four plates, drizzle with the sauce, and serve with warmed maple syrup. Serves 4.
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Jeff Cox is author of The Organic Cook’s Bible and lives in Sonoma County, California.
Image Credit: Diamond Organics
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