cara cara campari spritz

On a recent stop at Costco to get a few basics, I spotted a huge bag of Cara Cara oranges and immediately added it to my cart. If you’ve never had a Cara Cara, honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me. It’s citrus season, yes, but they’re a bit harder to find at the store this time of year compared to other varieties, at least where I live in the Northeast. After a little research, I learned that Cara Caras are in the same family as the more common navel variety, and first originated as a mutation on a navel tree at Hacienda Cara Cara in Venezuela.

also great for snacking

Cara Caras are super sweet, juicy, and have the prettiest blush-colored flesh that’s a little darker than a grapefruit, but not quite as red as a blood orange. The flavor is almost berry-like with no bitterness. They are so good.

The other day I was coming in from a brisk walk, and decided to mix a simple cocktail using a whole Cara Cara, Campari, and sparkling water. I love the resulting bittersweetness and refreshing fizz, and this is now my new winter drink of choice. And, as a bonus, it turns out that Cara Caras have a higher percentage of vitamins A and C compared to navels. I always find that juicing an entire piece of citrus is just messy enough that I’m (usually) satisfied with a single drink. But considering the health benefits, I’m more than happy to juice several to make this festive cocktail. Salud.

* death star ice cube mold optional

Makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 Cara Cara orange

• 2 ounces Campari or other bitter orange liqueur

• Bitters

• Sparkling water (something in the citrus family is nice like grapefruit, but I’ve also used tart cherry and lime and it was quite lovely)

Directions

1. Use a peeler to remove a thumb-sized piece of zest from the orange (try to avoid the pith).

2. Juice the orange and strain the juice to remove pulp.

3. Pour juice and Campari into a glass and add a dash of bitters.

4. Add one large ice cube or a handful of cubes.

5. Top with sparkling water and zest.

polenta & grilled zucchini with olive gremolata

Here’s a quick, light summer meal for when you’d rather be outside than cooking. Any seasonal vegetable can be substituted for the zucchini, including broccolini, green beans, or bitter greens.

Serves 2 as a light dinner

Ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/8-inch thin lengthwise

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup polenta (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

• Unsalted butter

• 2 scallions (white and light green parts), sliced thin

• 1/2 small tomato, seeded and diced

• 6 - 8 pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

• Pinch red pepper flakes

• 2 teaspoons vinegar (red wine, sherry, apple cider all work well)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine scallions, tomato, olives, parsley, vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. Boil 1 1/2 cups water, add 1 teaspoon kosher salt to water and cook polenta on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Tip: to prevent clumps, shake polenta gradually into the pot of water and use a whisk to incorporate. After polenta has finished cooking, stir in 1 - 2 tablespoons of butter, season with salt and pepper and cover.

3. Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium heat. Pat zucchini slices dry with a paper towel, and lightly score each side with a paring knife, being careful not to cut through. Brush zucchini with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook on each side until grill marks appear and zucchini is tender but firm enough that you can still flip it easily.

4. Plate polenta (if it has formed a skin, slowly reheat and add a few tablespoons of warm water to loosen). Top with grilled zucchini and gremolata. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and enjoy!