DISCOVER A NEW SPRING LOVE: CLEMENTINES FROM CHILE

A favorite wintertime fruit, that sweet intense perfect little orange, is here from the lush land of Chile. For the first time, ships from Chile filled with clementines are arriving at ports on the East and West coasts of the U.S. making it possible for us to enjoy this bright, tangy-sweet citrus fruit in the spring.

Chile’s location in the Southern Hemisphere means an opposite growing season from countries above the equator that grow clementines in winter, which is why we are able to have these vibrant orange jewels now.

Brighter in flavor than other oranges, these seedless petite citrus fruits easily shed their loose skin and are perfect in both sweet and savory recipes.  They’re also nutritional powerhouses providing vitamins C and A as well as fiber. When purchasing, choose fruit that’s heavy for its size and with shiny skin.  For immediate eating keep them in a fruit bowl; they can be kept refrigerated for several weeks. Like all fruits, for best flavor serve clementines at room temperature.

Whether you prefer to simply peel and pop the plump segments into your mouth, or use this little fruit that’s big on flavor in recipes, make sure you don’t miss their short, but sweet season during May and June.

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ONE DOZEN FRESH WAYS TO
TURN CLEMENTINES INTO A SPRING RITUAL

• Dip segments into melted chocolate

• Toss segments into mixed greens with chopped red onion and toasted almond slivers

• Cut into rounds and arrange with slices of avocado and hearts of palm; drizzle with vinaigrette

• Add to chicken or shrimp salad

• Brighten up mixed fruit salad

• Chop segments and mix into strawberry sauce; serve over pancakes or waffles

• Slice into rounds and decorate the top of a cheesecake or key lime pie

• Add to stir-fried beef and broccoli

• Serve over lemon sorbet

• Combine with snow peas and radishes to make a salad

• Chop and toss with canned chopped jalapeno peppers; serve with barbecued chicken or ribs

• Stir into a spicy black bean and jicama salsa

CLEMENTINE AND FROZEN YOGURT SHORTCAKE

1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

   1 tablespoon raspberry jam

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

   4 slices (1/2-inch thick) pound cake

   4 scoops vanilla frozen yogurt

   2 clementines from Chile, peeled and segmented

In a cup combine yogurt, raspberry jam and almond extract. For each serving, on a dessert plate, arrange 1 slice pound cake. Top each with 1 scoop frozen yogurt; drizzle with raspberry-yogurt sauce. Scatter clementines over all, dividing evenly.  Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.

Yield: 4 portions