Kumquat and Ginger Vinaigrette Sauce for Vegetables

This vinaigrette uses one of my all-time favorite fruits, the kumquat. Kumquats are sort of inside-out citrus fruits: the skins are very sweet and the interior flesh is very tart. You eat the whole thing–seeds and all. However, since the skins (while very sweet) also have a little of that citrus peel bitterness to them, I prefer to remove the seeds, as they add more bitterness than I like. But–it is perfectly acceptable to leave the seeds, which is a time-saver because there are a lot of them! For this vinaigrette, I went ahead and removed the seeds. If you leave them in, taste-test before serving to see if you want to add a little more honey to offset any bitter notes.

This vinaigrette is whipped up in a blender and creates a smooth, creamy sauce that is sweet and tangy. It makes a lovely pairing with asparagus or tropical fish such as mahi-mahi and opah.

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Kumquat and Ginger Vinaigrette Sauce for Vegetables

Author: keriawilliams

Ingredients

Servings

• ~¹⁄₂ cup kumquats (seeded and roughly chopped in a food processor)
• ³⁄₄ cup very good quality olive oil (Consider using pecan oil, which adds a nice, nutty quality.)
• ¹⁄₄ cup cider vinegar (or other relatively mild vinegar--I used an apricot and peace vinegar for mine, which gave a nice, tropical vibe to the mixture)
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• ¹⁄₈ tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp shallot (finely diced)
• 1 tsp honey
• ¹⁄₂ tsp ginger

Instructions

1. Start by halving your kumquats and removing the seeds (if desired). Place them in a small food processor and pulse the fruits until they are minced, but not pureed--you want there to still be recognizable, but small, bits of fruit.

   

1. Place all the ingredients into your blender (I used my Vitamix) and puree until very smooth and creamy. If the mixture is too thick, thin out with a little more oil or water. Taste for additional seasonings (extra honey, salt or pepper) and add as needed.

   

1. Serve over chilled asparagus for an elegant starter or appetizer.

   

Note

For a fun twist on this vinaigrette, add a little grated ginger to the mix!