A Citrus Terrine my Mom would have loved..

My mom loved this time of year. No, not because of the snowy, chilly Northeast weather – she actually didn’t care for that at all – but because it was citrus season. Mom was partial to  grapefruits- very partial. The Ruby Red and pink grapefruits were her favorite – super sweet and oh-so-pretty. Sure, she like oranges well enough and would sometimes juice them up for breakfast but, I don’t think she cared for tangerines or clementines. They were too messy for mom – too much pith, seeds and sticky figures and counters. Mom like her citrus neat, clean,  and perfectly cut.

And let me tell you, my mom cut-up a g’fruit with surgical precision. I remember the special knife that she’d pull out of the drawer for the, um, surgery (hum… I wonder which sibling has that prized knife now?? ), and once halved,  Mom’s skill with that little blade was amazing – she would dissect each segment from its membrane leaving nary a drop of citrus flesh clinging to it save the side closest to the rind. Why leave that edges attached? Well.. that’s what a grapefruit spoon is for, of course. Otherwise those sharp, pointy little spoons would lay dormant in the drawer. Mom’s grapefruit process didn’t end there.. Once surgery was complete, each half was placed in a bowl – usually a really pretty bowl that was just the right size – and set at our place with said grapefruit spoon. The other half, if not ready for immediate consumption, was covered with plastic and refrigerated. Some of my friends thought it was funny that Mom would go to the effort of cutting up both halves even if only one was going to be eaten. But, that was my Mom. Not only methodical in all she did but also gracious, generous and polite – always making sure there was a freshly cut, ready-to-eat grapefruit for anyone to enjoy.

I think Mom would have liked this terrine – it’s full of bright, gorgeous flavors, looks beautiful and smells like sunshine tho.. much to her possible dismay, you don’t need a special spoon to enjoy it. I make it with a combo of grapefruits and navel oranges but fell free to use whatever citrus combo you like. Or, better, yet, use 6 cups of any combination of citrus and others fruits like halved, seedless grapes or blueberries or strawberries. Just stay away from kiwis and pineapples as these guys don’t play well with gelatin – you’d end up with a soupy mess.

On the video side: If you’d like to see  how to segment citrus IRL <well.. sort of..> you can check out me on CT Style or my pals at FineCooking.com

Here’s hoping  you end everyday sweetly,

Abby

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Citrus Pomegranate Terrine

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Here’s what you’ll need:

•    4 large Grapefruits – assorted colors is pretty but not essential
•    4 large Navel oranges – you can also use blood oranges but you’ll need more like 6-8 of ’em depending their size (more later on this)
•    2 envelopes unflavored powder gelatin
•    1/4 cup Pomegranate seeds

Here’s how to make it:

1. Have ready a 9 x 5-inch Pyrex or ceramic loaf pan and make room in the fridge. If you’re worried about unfolding this guy, you can line the inside with plastic wrap using two long pieces in a cross hatch. Make sure to tuck well into the bottom and up the sides and don’t worry if there are wrinkles – it will still look gorg!

2. Cut off the ends of the grapefruits and oranges. Position the fruit on one end and cut away all the zest and pith following the fruits’ contours. Holding the fruit in one hand over a large bowl, cut along the membranes to release the sections into the bowl. You’ll need 6 cups of fruit sections to fill this mold. So, if you are adding in other varieties of citrus or if you are using store-bought sections, just be sure you have a total of 6 cups.

3. Squeeze the juice from the membranes into a 2-cup measure. Pour off enough of the collected juice from the sections to measure 1¾ cups and discard (or drink) the remainder. Pour ¾ cup of the juice into a small, heatproof measuring cup or bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let sit until the gelatin is moist, about 3 minutes. Microwave until the gelatin is dissolved and the liquid is clear, about 30 to 90 seconds. Add to the remaining juice and set aside to cool slightly, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the pomegranate seeds to the citrus sections and gently toss to combine. Pile the mixture evenly into the prepared loaf pan, leaving behind any extra juices. Slowly pour the warm (not hot) gelatin liquid over the sections. Tap the loaf pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles. Refrigerate until the top is set and then cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 6 hours, or for up to 2 days.

5. To serve, run a small knife between the gelatin and the loaf pan and dip the bottom of the pan into warm water for about 1 minute. Quickly invert onto a flat serving plate and shake gently to loosen the terrine. Or, if you have lined the pan with plastic wrap, unwrap the top and invert onto a serving plate. Starting at one short end, firmly hold the plastic with on hand while, at the same time, lifting the pan up from the terrine and discard the plastic. Cut into 1-inch slices.

Switch-Ins:
In place of the pomegranate seeds, switch in ONE of the following:

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

In place of the whole grapefruits and oranges, switch in the following:

6 cups well-drained, store-bought (unsweetened or VERY lightly sweetened) citrus sections – chose a variety and save 1 3/4 cup juices

Gussy It Up:
–    Serve with Red Berry Sauce: Whiz onee package frozen strawberries in light syrup, thawed, in a food porcessor until smooth. Drizzle over each serving.

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