Tag Archives: what to do with kumquats

A Salute to the Small, But Mighty, Kumquat

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A quick and easy, sweet and tangy kumquat sauce dresses up salmon.
A quick and easy, sweet and tangy kumquat sauce dresses up salmon.

In the world of cookbooks, “Citrus, Illustrated” (Chronicle Books) takes up little space.

This compact cookbook, of which I received a review copy, is the size of my outstretched hands and contains all of 35 recipes.

So, in this wisp of a book that spotlights citrus of all sorts, I felt it only appropriate that I hone in on the smallest one: kumquats.

Plus, I think they’re adorable looking, and are so beguiling with their topsy-turvy flesh that’s acidic and rind that’s sweet. Frankly, I just love popping one whole into my mouth to enjoy its burst of flavor.

This fun little book is by George Geary, who was an award-winning pastry chef for a decade with the Walt Disney Company.

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The Time Is Ripe For Braised Lamb Shanks with Sweet-and-Sour Kumquats

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Fall-off-the-bone tender lamb shanks get garnished with wine-simmered, sweet-tangy kumquats.
Fall-off-the-bone tender lamb shanks get garnished with wine-simmered, sweet-tangy kumquats.

Admittedly, I often hem and haw, even dodge, duck, and deflect, when people invariably ask me what my favorite recipe is in my cookbook, “East Bay Cooks” (Figure 1, 2019).

It’s like choosing a favorite child — or in my case, only one dessert to eat for the rest of my life.

It just can’t be done.

However, I will concede this: At this time of year especially, I will eagerly flip the pages of my cookbook until I stop longingly at “Braised Lamb Shanks with Sweet-and-Sour Kumquats.”

This comforting dish is from Chef Kevin Gin of Bridges in Danville. It’s one of those fabulous dishes in which your oven really does all the work — turning lamb shanks, cooked with an entire bottle of red wine and aromatics like thyme and rosemary, into fall-off-the-bone lusciousness.

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