KITCHEN AFFAIRS | Kumquat Curd

 

Do you know what fruit this is?  

It is the kumquat.

When I was little, in my family, kumquats were traditionally eaten during Christmas season. 

In fact, the kumquats were available on the fruit stalls only at this time of year. 

Nowadays we can find them in Autumn/Winter/Spring, next to the oranges and mandarins and after the citrus season, even kumquats disappear from the stall.

Kumquat is the smallest edible citrus: usually between 1 to 1 ½ inches long( 2,5 – 4 cm) and the only citrus you can eat whole! The fruits are yummy. They taste like a clementine but slightly more sour and the skin is the sweetest part. I eat them fresh but I prefer kumquats in hearty winter salads, cut into rounds, with baby spinach and almond. My favorite quick meal! 

Native and popular in China as “gold orange”, the kumquat today grows on evergreen trees in the warm climates countries. They are not so popular but seems, by my research on Google, they have a ton of nutrients as potassium, calcium, Vitamin C, beneficial fats, vitamin A, antimicrobial, fiber, antioxidant, inflammation-supressing, immune boosting compounds and cancer fighting and important oils that our body needs. Among the many health benefits that I mentioned you'll be glad to know that if you're working hard in the gym or following diet rules, kumquats will fill you up and keep you healthy and will reduce your urge to overeat. With the high fiber content, high water content, low calories, and significant carb content this fruit is ideal for who like me trying to lose weight. 

What can I do with these fruits, aside from just snacking on them?

You can find a huge selection of delicious kumquat recipes on the web: marmalades, drinks, candied fruits, cakes. I was looking for a sweet cream to be used for the realization of other desserts but I didn’t find anything useful so I modified the lemon curd recipe from my cookbook.

Here's what came out.

  
INGREDIENTS:
250 g Kumquats
130 g granulated sugar
60 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 egg yolks, plus 1 egg
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Wash kumquats and remove stems. Cut in half and remove the seeds.

Place kumquats pieces and the lemon juice in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth as you can get it.

Combine eggs and sugar in a saucepan and whisk until smooth. Add the kumquats puree.

Pour the mixture in a smaller saucepan and place it into a larger one, partly filled with hot water (au bain marie) and simmer until the cream begins to thicken. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, the curd should not be boiled. If you have already a candy thermometer, the temperature should be 170ºF. Remove from heat and stir in the butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next.

Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally as it cools.

Sterilize the jars and fill them with the mixture. Check for air bubbles and cover the jars with the lids tightly.

I’m going to make a special dessert with this curd!

Do any of you eat kumquats? Any recent food discoveries that have become addictions? 

GOOD TO KNOW:

- Don’t use aluminum saucepan because aluminum will react with the yolks and turn your curd in a greenish color.

- Kumquats curd will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

- This curd can be prepared several days in advance and used as a spread for your morning toast with cream cheese, fill pies and tarts, swirl into yogurt with granola or ice cream, topping for French toast, pancakes or waffles.