Discover the flavour-heightening power of citrus
As the theme of health and nutrition continues to dominate today's culinary trends¹ chefs seek ways to offer menu options with big flavours while keeping the profiles wholesome. Our chefs understand that criteria, and develop recipes for Kraft Foodservice's Healthy Living section that deliver healthful menu solutions. Citrus fits in perfectly with those parameters—giving chefs bright, refreshing flavours to play with.
"Citrus adds a high note and opens up other flavours," says Aliza Katz, senior corporate chef for the Kraft Culinary Centre. "It introduces nuance, by deepening the profile with a sweet/sour taste and a perfumed, fresh aroma."
We tapped our chefs, asking them to brainstorm dishes that feature citrus. They came back to us with these 5 easy-to-execute ideas:
- Add Kaffir lime leaf to a poaching liquid that calls for coconut milk
- Include sections of grapefruit or pomelo in a salad with a citrus vinaigrette
- When steaming fish "en papillote," place segments of orange, lemon and grapefruit over top of the fish
- Squeeze lemon juice into a sauce right before service to open up the flavour of the sauce
- Add citrus peel to a housemade seasoning to brighten profile
Deconstructing a Salad
This Zesty Chicken & Watermelon Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds bursts with big flavour, but stays in the realm of Healthy Living. "You get a really nice play between the spiciness of the jalapeño and the cooling element of the watermelon," says Kira Smith, corporate chef at the Kraft Culinary Centre. "The lime juice and zest open up the flavours, adding a refreshing lightness to the whole dish." This is how she did it:
Business Take Away
Citrus cries out for cross-utilization.
"When we zest lemon or lime, we carefully peel the skin with the pith," says Chef Neff.
"We then supreme the citrus fruit and add the sections to salads. An asparagus, shrimp and avocado salad is a great match for segments of lemon or lime. The citrus adds moisture and preserves the colours in the salad because of the citric acid."
How One Chef Works Magic with Citrus
Cary Neff's Citrus and Jicama Salad with Three-Citrus Dressing is a perfect example of how healthful dishes can look, sound and taste incredible. Indeed, as vice president of corporate culinary services for Atlanta, Georgia-based Morrison Healthcare Food Services, he's charged with that goal. He developed "Flavors 450," a culinary program that brings nutritious and flavourful foods to hospital dining—all under 450 calories. "For that salad, I wanted to do a play on the traditional Mexican snack that sees jicama served with a squeeze of lime and a dusting of chili powder," says Chef Neff, who penned Conscious Cuisine (Sourcebooks, 2005). "I wanted an oil-less salad that had a lot of flavour." His dressing combines orange juice with lemon juice, lime juice and chili powder.
He incorporates citrus into many of his recipes, including a Blood Orange and Fennel Salad with a Citrus Walnut Vinaigrette (blood-orange juice, lemon juice and walnut oil). "Citrus provides a burst of light, bright flavour," he says. "I also reduce the amount of salt in a recipe by adding citrus zest as a finishing ingredient." For his Artichoke Whole-Grain Risotto, he finishes with lemon zest right before service for a fragrant touch.
"Healthful cooking is about going back to basics," says Chef Neff. "It can excite all of the senses—you just have to know how to coax the wonderful, inherent flavours out of ingredients. Citrus can help you do that."
Chef Smith's Tip:
Use citrus juice instead of vinegar in your salad dressing. The juice is less stringent than the vinegar, adding a refreshing undertone to the dressing.
- Kira Smith, Corporate Chef, Kraft Culinary Centre
¹ Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association Canadian Chef Survey, 2010