Citrus fruits are like winter’s secret weapon. Summer gets all the credit for fresh, colorful, juice produce then winter is like, “BAM!” (Emril style) The best oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, clementines, etc. are coming at you when you least expect them.

This recipe is a the one I’m most proud of so far here on Bug Bites because it highlights how amazing it can be to use techniques that are usually reserved for meat on fruit. Searing the orange and grapefruit turns these fruits into candy. Think: grilled pineapple. The smokiness and char take the fruit to a whole new neighborhood of flavortown, and creates lovely harmony perched on these corn flour crostini.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Orange to the Grapefruit: “Okay, ladies now let’s get in formation.”

Surprise! Peel the fruit. Check out those beauties.

With a sharp paring knife, segment the orange and grapefruit into a bowl. Separate the juice and the segments and drink up while you cook! Set aside segments.

At this time, please turn your attention to the almonds. Toast the nuts in a dry, nonstick pan for 2-3 minutes until they are warm and slightly darker in color.

Return the toasted almonds to a bowl, and let them cool while you make the spice mixture.

Combine equal parts chile powder, turmeric, paprika, and cumin. Cooking with bold spices like these is the best way to add out-of-this-world flavor to a dish, while also keeping it nutritious and eco-friendly. Turmeric has gotten a lot of love recently from nutritionists, so supplements and teas are all the rage right now. I find that incorporating these ingredients into my recipes is the best way to reap the benefits, but not overload.

Add the spices to a dry, nonstick pan and toast for ~30 seconds. Add a drizzle of olive oil to create a pasty sauce.

Add the toasted almonds and toss until they are coated in the spice mixture. Continue to roast in the pan for 2-3 more minutes. This also acts as a scented candle for your kitchen.

Transfer almonds to a bowl and let them cool.

Next up: Toast the crostini. I got this bread made from whole wheat and corn flour from a local bakery. I like using alternative flours because 1. It tastes way better than white flour, and 2. When wheat is stripped of its husk and made into white flour the body breaks it down like glucose (sugar). This means it loses all nutritional value and is stored as fat.

Slice the bread at an angle. Discard (aka eat) the rounded end.

Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle both sides with olive oil. Place in the oven for 8-10 minutes. We’re going for a slightly-crispy-but-still-chewy-yum-so-good-be-ready-now texture on the bread. Can you tell that I’m hungry?

While the bread is toasting, prepare the goat cheese. Goat cheese is one of those foods I grew up thinking was so gross, but once I tried it I was transformed into a new person. It is salty, creamy, and oh-so-satisfying. Not to mention goats are the sweetest farm animals I’ve ever met. My sister and I have decided our retirement dream is to co-own a goat farm in the country where we will snuggle with goats and maybe make cheese every once in a while. For now, though, I use the organically raised goat cheese from the store…sigh. A girl can dream.

In a bowl, combine a hunk of goat cheese, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.

Whilst whipping, I had one of my culinary brain blasts and decided to add a dusting of lemon zest. (I often do my best thinking whilst whipping.) Highly recommended.

As you can see, I also switched whisks. Silly me to think I could whip cheese with a rubber whisk. Metal is the way to go, people.

Set cheese aside…reluctantly…I’ll come back for you, my love.

About now your crostini should be done toasting. Pull them out and let them cool.

The final step before assembly is to sear the citrus. Not going to lie, this is where things get a little tricky. Depending on your stove, you may have to fiddle with the temperature and time you cook these beauties. I also didn’t use any olive oil or cooking spray, so I had to wipe out the pan between batches. If you use oil it will reduce the stickage of little pulps to the pan, but will add an oily flavor and texture to the fruit. I chose to battle it out with the stickage.

In a hot (medium to medium-high heat) nonstick pan, place several segments of fruit on their side.

Allow them to sear briefly (30 seconds to a minute) on one side until the bottom is caramelized and slightly charred. Flip each segment with a metal spatula.

After searing the second side for 30-60 seconds, transfer to a plate to cool.

Repeat with remaining fruit segments.

Once the almonds are cool, roughly chop. These will add crunch and spice to the crostini. I love Thai food, and Thai food is all about balance. Obviously, this is not a Thai recipe, but I try to apply their philosophy for all of my dishes. They specifically balance saltiness, sweetness, spiciness, and sourness. These crostini have it all.

Finally, assemble the crostini.

Spread a generous layer of whipped goat cheese on the toasted bread.

Top with pieces of seared fruit, taking care to include both orange and grapefruit on each piece. How purdy!

Sprinkle with chopped almonds and top with torn pieces of parsley. The parsley adds an herbaceous note, but it mostly got invited to this party for the color pop.

Invite some friends over for a party and rock their world with this tasty app. Be sure to dress to impress because these babies are so beautiful they’ll outshine you if you don’t.

Seared Citrus and Goat Cheese Crostini

Level: Medium

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 wheat/corn flour baguette

2 Navel Oranges

2 Grapefruit

8oz organic goat cheese

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup raw almonds

1 tps each turmeric, cumin, chile powder, paprika

Parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Using a sharp chef knife, cut the top and bottom off of the oranges and grapefruit, so they can stand up straight. Peel with a knife to remove skin and pith.

Using a paring knife, segment fruits into a bowl. Drain liquid and store. Set segments aside.

In a small bowl, combine turmeric, cumin, chile powder, and paprika. Set aside.

Add almonds to a dry, nonstick pan over medium heat and toast for 2-3 minutes. Remove. Add spice mixture to the pan and toast for 30 seconds. Drizzle in olive oil and stir to combine. Add almonds and toss until coated. Toast for an additional 2-3 minutes. Season with salt. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Roughly chop.

Cut baguette into 1 inch slices. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

While the bread is toasting, whip goat cheese with a tablespoon of olive oil, lemon zest, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Whip until smooth and fluffy. Set aside.

Heat a medium non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Working in batches, lay citrus segments in the pan and sear on each side for 30-60 seconds. Wipe out pan between batches with a towel and continue until all fruit is seared.

Assemble the crostini. Layer goat cheese, fruit, chopped almonds, and parsley.

Enjoy!