Cooking with Chef David Meador | Local kumquats delicious in chutney

Winter in Florida is a great time to check out the local farmers markets for some uniquely Florida produce.

One of my favorites is the lowly kumquat. What's a kumquat?

This small oval-shaped citrus fruit is kind of the yin and yang of fruit because the skin is sweet, but the inner flesh is quite tart. You can eat the entire fruit -- skin and all -- but I enjoy them better when simmered in simple syrup to make a marmalade or chutney.

I am sharing a recipe for kumquat chutney that can be used as a spread for toast in the morning, or, as a topping for a nice pit ham, which is my favorite way to use it.

The kumquat chutney makes for a tangy and delicious contrast when served over pan-seared pompano or tilapia. I also love this chutney served over Cuban-style pulled pork with arepas, which are Spanish-style griddle cakes made from corn meal.

Kumquat Chutney

3 cups of sliced, de-seeded kumquats,

2- 1/2 cups of sugar

2- 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 small diced red onion

3 tangerines or Clementines, peeled and seeded

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh mint leaves

1. Slice the kumquats into round slices and remove the seeds.

2. Place the orange juice and the sugar into a small pan and bring to a simmer.

3. Add the kumquats and return to simmer.

4. In a separate pan, sauté the red onion and ginger for about one minute to soften, then deglaze with the rice wine vinegar. Add it to the

kumquats.

5. Simmer this mixture until it thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.

6. Add just a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

7. Add the tangerine segments near the end of the cooking time so they don't break up too much.

8. Add the chiffonade of mint in the last minute of cooking to infuse the flavors.

9. Chill the chutney until ready for use.

Arepas

2 cups Goya Brand Masarepa corn meal

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons grated mozzarella

1. In a bowl, mix the Masarepa corn meal with the salt and hot water.

2. Add in the shredded cheese to make the arepas a little richer and help them hold together.

3. Let the dough stand for about 5 minutes.

4. Form the dough into patties about 3-4 inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick.

5. Cook the patties on a griddle or in a non-stick pan coated with butter until lightly browned.

6. Top these with your prepared pulled pork and the kumquat chutney.

PAN-SEARED Pompano

2-3 (4 ounce) Pompano fillets

Salt and pepper

Creole or Blackening spice to taste

2 cups Masarepa corn meal

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon canola oil

1. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and a dusting of creole spice.

2. Be sure to season the corn meal mix as well.

3. Lightly dredge the fillets in the corn meal to coat both sides and shake off the excess.

4. In a non-stick pan or griddle heated to medium high, add the butter and canola oil.

5. Add the pompano fillets and cook until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through.

6. Serve the fish over Jasmine rice, or your favorite side dish, topped with the kumquat chutney.

Chef David Meador, executive chef at Renaissance on 9th, can be reached at jbjork@renaissanceon9th.org.

This story was originally published January 7, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Cooking with Chef David Meador | Local kumquats delicious in chutney ."