Navel oranges
With the juicy Valencia oranges making an exit until the summertime, the fresh winter navel oranges have just started to emerge. Sweet, seedless, and relatively easy to peel, they are best suited as a fresh eating orange, enjoyed one section at a time.
Slice and add navel oranges to mixed green salads, or dip them in chocolate and chill to enjoy as a tasty dessert. You can also use the zest for a flavorful addition to your dishes.
Navel oranges pair very well with chicken and pork preparations, as well as fresh bitter greens.
You can expect to find navel oranges at all weekly Santa Barbara Certified Farmers’ markets from several local growers. Price averages $2 per pound.
Oro Blanco grapefruit
Possessing a yellow skin when ripe, Oro Blanco grapefruit is a little larger than a large orange. The pale-yellow fruit has a wonderful balance of sweet and tangy flavor, with pleasing notes of grapefruit throughout.
This low-acid fruit is absent of the bitterness found in most grapefruit varieties and is incredibly juicy. This natural hybrid of a pomelo and white grapefruit can be enjoyed peeled out of hand, used for its juice in mixed beverages, and as a nice addition to salad dressings and marinades. The flavor pairs very well with seafood preparations.
You can find freshly harvested Oro Blanco grapefruit from Buckhorn Canyon Ranch at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real, Tuesday Santa Barbara, Wednesday Solvang and Thursday Carpinteria farmers’ markets.
Price is $3 each for $5.
Napa cabbage
Giant elongated heads of freshly harvested Napa cabbage are just starting to emerge at our weekly farmers’ markets. Delivering a nice tender crunch, Napa cabbage can be substituted for standard green cabbage in most cases, whether adding to tacos, wraps, salads, soups and stews, spring rolls, and stir-fries. This week I prepared Napa Cabbage and Chinese Noodle Salad as the Fix of the Week, below.
Also commonly referred to as “Chinese” cabbage, Napa cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamins A and K, calcium as well as some added magnesium, vitamin B6 and dietary fiber to your diets. Enjoy this cabbage grilled, or use the large leaves as the body of a wrap. Price averages $4 each.
