Eat, Drink, and Be Merry at Christmas Dinner, Now With More Grapefruit!
While we patiently cross off the days on our calendars leading up to Christmas, you may be looking to make the holiday magic extra special after the last couple of years we’ve gone through.
One of the best ways to make Christmas extra cozy is by cooking a delicious meal, with a twist of adding some Texas Rio Red grapefruit! This holiday season, give your traditional Christmas dinner some flavorful exuberance by adding delicious, tangy, sweet red grapefruits from Winter Sweetz!
Delightful Christmas Dinner with a Zing!
1. Smoked Salmon with Fennel and Grapefruit on Rye
This mouthwatering, zesty dish is sophisticated, easy, and nutritious! The smokey flavor of the salmon complements the tangy, sweet grapefruit, and the fresh fennel will surely have your guests asking for more!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
- 3 packs of 100g sliced smoked salmon
- 2 small finely sliced fennel bulbs, fronds reserved
- 2 ½ Winter Sweetz red grapefruits
- 8 thin slices of toasted rye bread
- 1 pomegranate (seeded)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 3 tbsp finely chopped dill
- 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
Instructions:
- In a lidded jar, combine mustard, oil, herbs, and 3 tbsp of Winter Sweetz Texas Rio Red grapefruit for the dressing. Season to taste, shake well, and set aside.
- Toss the smoked salmon, fennel, and Winter Sweetz grapefruit segments in a bowl, with 4 tbsp of the dressing.
- To construct, drizzle oil on each slice of toasted rye. Then, add about a spoonful of the salmon and Wintersweets combination on the toast and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Use the fennel fronds and leftover dressing for toppings.
2. Rio Red Grapefruit and Molasses Ham
This meal is a bit more of a traditional Christmas dinner. Although we are accustomed to eating delicious ham on holidays, this time we get to use local ingredients, like Texas Rio Red grapefruits, to add decadent flavors to a robust meal that will have the whole family asking for more!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 2 hours
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
- One 7-9 pound, fully cooked, bone-in ham
- ½ cup of Rio Red grapefruit freshly squeezed juice
- ½ of your choice of orange juice
- 3 tbsps of your favorite honey
- 1 tbsp of packed brown sugar
- 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 3 tsp coarse ground pepper
Instructions:
- While the oven is preheating at 325 degrees, place cooked ham in a shallow baking dish on the oven rack. Then, use a sharpened knife to cover the surface of the ham with cutouts of ¼ inch deep diamond shapes. Cover the cooked ham and bake for about 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees.
- While the ham is in the oven, combine the Rio Red grapefruit juice with the orange juice in a large saucepan. Bring the juices to a boil for 6-8 minutes or until the contents are reduced to half. Mix in the remaining ingredients until the mixture boils again, then reduce to a simmer, uncovered, and the glaze will thicken within 15 minutes.
- Finally, remove the ham from the oven and use ⅓ cup of the glaze to brush on the ham’s surface. Place the ham back in the oven for 15-20minutes or until the thermometer reads 140 degrees, while basting it often with remaining glaze.
3. Avocado and Sweetz Texas Rio Red Grapefruit Salad
This filling and appetizing dish is not only nutritious, but also vegan-friendly for our friends and family! This dynamic salad combines the taste of the sweet, red grapefruit with nutritious fats, making it a perfect meal or side dish!
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 whole avocado
- 1 Winter Sweetz Texas Rio Red grapefruit
- Juice from half a lime
Instructions:
- Cut the avocado in half and cautiously remove the pit. With a knife, cut the avocado vertically and horizontally to get 1-inch pieces. Scoop out avocado chunks into a bowl.
- Peel the Rio Red grapefruit and also cut it into 1-inch parts. Then, mix in the Winter Sweetz Texas Rio Red grapefruit with the avocado chunks in the bowl.
- Mix in freshly diced basil with the Rio Reds and avocado.
- Drizzle half the juice of a lime and serve!