When Dinner Is a Three-Ring Citrus

Diller oranges, Meyer lemons, oroblanco grapefruits--these are just three of the countless citrus fruits grown in California. With citrus in season, this is the perfect time to create a menu using them.

I’ve incorporated a citrus fruit into each of the three courses in this menu. The first course, a composed salad, is surrounded by juicy pink slices of sweet grapefruit and topped with a tangy citrus dressing.

Tangerine juice and Dijon mustard, in an unexpected yet pleasing combination, create a savory sauce for shrimp in the main course. With flavors this complex, a simple rice pilaf is the perfect complement. This one is prepared a little differently from most: It’s baked. Covering it and letting it stand after cooking lets the rice absorb the last of the moisture without burning or getting gummy.

For dessert, we have a classic poundcake with a twist--a lemon twist, that is. This lemony version of an old favorite is rich and delicious enough to serve on its own, but it is even better when served with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.

MENU

Composed Salad Served With Grapefruit and Citrus Vinaigrette

Tangerine Dijon Shrimp

Rice Pilaf

Lemon Poundcake With Citrus Glaze

GAME PLAN

Day before or morning of dinner: Prepare poundcake and store in airtight container.

1 hour before dinner: Prepare salad dressing and set aside. Prepare salad (except avocado) and refrigerate.

1/2 hour before: Prepare rice pilaf and put in oven 15 minutes before serving salads. Cut avocado slices for salads. Arrange salads on plates and serve.

After serving salad: Remove rice from oven. Prepare shrimp. Serve main course. Serve poundcake.

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SHOPPING LIST

1/2 cup walnuts

1 head red leaf lettuce

2 pink grapefruits

1 avocado

1/4 pound Roquefort cheese

2 carrots

3 to 4 lemons

1 lime

2 pounds large shrimp

2 cups tangerine juice (if unavailable, orange juice may be substituted)

1/2 pint whipping cream

1 tangerine

1 orange

1 bunch parsley

2 cans reduced-sodium chicken broth

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STAPLES

Sugar

Oil

Cornstarch

Dijon mustard

Salt

Pepper

Rice

Onion

Butter

Bay leaf

Eggs

Flour

Cake flour

Granulated sugar

Powdered sugar

COMPOSED SALAD SERVED WITH GRAPEFRUIT AND CITRUS VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 pink grapefruit

1 avocado

1 head red leaf lettuce, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 pound Roquefort cheese, sliced thin

2 carrots, peeled and shredded

Toast chopped walnuts on baking sheet at 350 degrees until nicely browned but not burned, about 5 to 8 minutes. Check frequently.

Peel grapefruit and cut into sections, being careful to remove all white pith. Cut each section in half. Peel and pit avocado and cut into 8 lengthwise slices.

Divide red leaf lettuce among 4 chilled salad plates. Arrange grapefruit segments around rims of plates. Arrange avocado slices, cheese and shredded carrots on lettuce.

CITRUS VINAIGRETTE

1/4 cup grapefruit juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

Juice of 1/2 lime

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together grapefruit, lemon and lime juices and sugar. Whisk in oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons dressing over each salad plate.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

580 calories; 609 mg sodium; 26 mg cholesterol; 54 grams fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 2.29 grams fiber.

TANGERINE DIJON SHRIMP

1/4 cup cold water

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup oil

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups tangerine juice

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon butter

Salt

1/4 cup grated orange peel

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tangerine, peeled and divided into segments

Mix water and cornstarch together until well blended. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saute pan until very hot. Add 1 pound shrimp and saute until shrimp begin to brown and are no longer translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat process with remaining oil and shrimp.

Pour excess oil from pan. Add tangerine juice, increase heat to high and reduce juice by 1/2, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add cream and stir to combine, being careful not to boil. Add mustard and salt, if desired, and stir to combine. Add butter and stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch slurry and stir 2-3 minutes. If thicker sauce is desired, add more slurry 1 teaspoon at time and cook as before.

Add shrimp to sauce and reheat 1 to 2 minutes. Place shrimp on plate alongside Rice Pilaf and garnish with peel, parsley and 2 tangerine sections.

Makes 4 servings

Each serving contains about:

517 calories; 546 mg sodium; 352 mg cholesterol; 26 grams fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 44 grams protein; 0.10 gram fiber.

RICE PILAF

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 onion, chopped fine

1 cup rice

2 1/4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock, heated

1 bay leaf

Heat butter in medium oven-proof pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat with butter. Add heated broth or stock, increase heat and bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add bay leaf. Cover and bake at 350 degrees until broth has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and let rice stand, covered, 10 to 15 minutes. (Rice can be made ahead to this point and reheated at 200 degrees before serving.) Remove bay leaf and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

208 calories; 358 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.20 gram fiber.

LEMON POUNDCAKE WITH CITRUS GLAZE

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Juice of 1/2 orange

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Sift flours and salt together into bowl and set aside.

Beat butter in large mixing bowl until creamy. Slowly add granulated sugar and continue beating until well blended and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon peel at slowest speed. Continuing to mix on slowest speed, add flour little at a time until all flour has been added.

Pour batter into 9x5-inch loaf pan that has been buttered and lined with parchment paper. Smooth top with spatula and bake at 325 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes.

Mix together lemon and orange juices and powdered sugar until smooth. Brush mixture on top of cake while cake is cooling. Some glaze may be left over. Turn cake out on rack and cool completely before serving.

Makes 12 servings

Each serving contains about:

352 calories; 281 mg sodium; 130 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.05 gram fiber.