CITRUS CURD FOR EVERYTHING

One of the best parts of living in Southern California is the winter citrus season. Every shade of green, yellow and orange is represented in the most spectacular variety of locally grown sweet/sour fruits. It's an all-out frenzy of vitamin C! How'd I go from gorging on these puppies, right over the sink, juices running down my arm, to a luscious, barely sweetened curd? Ms. Molly of Orangette showed me the way . . . 

This curd is pretty forgiving and there's nothing it won't add brightness to -- from a sugar cookie to a rice cake, it could even have a savory application?? Not sure about that last one but friends of mine paired a bit of curd with a French sheep's cheese with great results. A bit of a cheesecake combo, created solely by chewing! 

When I think dessert, I usually think chocolate -- but this was a welcome reprieve, full of pluck, sweetness and citrus sparkle!

Citrus Curd

adapted from Molly Wizenberg of Orangette
makes about 1 heaping cup of curd

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup (113 grams) coconut oil
3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons fresh squeezed juice from lime, limequats, oranges, tangerines (whatever citrus you have on hand)
2 tablespoons lime zest
pinch of vanilla salt (regular salt would do fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium-sized pot, melt the coconut oil on medium heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together all other ingredients. Add the egg/lemon mixture to melted oil and whisk for about 5 minutes, mixture will thicken up. Don't stop stirring or the curd might break. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl (getting all the cooked bits of eggs out of the mixture) and allow to cool. Serve on a cake, on top of cookies or swirled into oatmeal and yogurt. Leave in a sealed jar on at room temperature and use within a few days. If refrigerated, the curd will become very hard and grainy (coconut oil doesn't do well in the fridge)