Fall in Love With This Sweet Red Grapefruit Spread This Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is coming up, and sometimes the best way to show your appreciation for your special someone is by enjoying meals together, especially when they’re made with love.
Winter Sweetz Texas red grapefruit are a great addition to Valentine’s Day, not just for their festive, vibrant red color that resembles “love” but also for its sweet, succulent flavor. From appetizers to drinks, these recipes are bound to make your romantic dinner one for the books.
Show your love language in the hearty meals you prepare using our lovely Texas Rio Reds, or make the preparation process a fun activity for you and your partner to partake in together to treat one another.
Appetizer — Roasted Halibut With Grapefruit Salsa
A great beginning to any romantic evening, this yummy grapefruit salsa complements roasted halibut better than you’d expect.
Ingredients:
- 2 large Winter Sweetz Texas red grapefruits
- 1 red fresno or jalapeño chile
- 3 tbsp. of red diced onion
- 2 tbsp. of fresh basil leaves
- 1 tbsp. thyme
- 4 halibut fillets, at least 1 inch thick
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Directions:
- Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Slice off the peel and pith from 2 large red grapefruit; cut segments into a bowl (check out this link if you need help with that); snip into smaller pieces. Add juice from membranes, chile, onions, basil, and thyme.
- Brush the halibut fillets with vegetable oil, and use a little more salt and pepper to really bring out more of the ingredients’ natural flavors. Roast on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or nonstick foil 10 to 12 minutes until cooked through. Spoon salsa over fish and enjoy!
Time: 12 minutes
Serves: 4
The Main Course — Grapefruit-Gremolata Salmon
This fish dish is quite simple to follow up with your appetizer. It combines salmon, broiled grapefruit, and gremolata, and it packs in a lot of delicious flavors that are sure to “Wow!” your partner.
What You’ll Need:
- 2 Winter Sweetz Texas Rio Red grapefruits, about medium sized
- ¼ cup of minced fresh parsley
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 4 salmon fillets (approx. 6 oz per fillet)
- 1 tbsp. crushed cumin seeds
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. coarsely ground pepper
- 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. brown sugar, divided
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. herb mixture including parsley, chives, tarragon, red pepper flakes to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking it Up:
- Preheat broiler. Finely grate enough peel from grapefruit to make up 2 tablespoons. In a tiny bowl, mix parsley, garlic, and grapefruit peel.
- Chop a thin slice from the top and bottom of every grapefruit; position grapefruit upright on a cutting board.
- With a knife, cut off peel and outer membrane from grapefruit. Slice along the membrane of each segment to remove fruit.
- Organize sections in one layer on one half of a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan, then sprinkle in 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
- Place salmon on the remaining half of the pan. Mix cumin seeds, salt, pepper, and leftover brown sugar; sprinkle over salmon.
- Broil 3-4 in. from heat 8-10 minutes or until fish starts to flake with a fork and grapefruit is slightly brown. Sprinkle salmon with parsley mixture, and serve with grapefruit.
Time: 30 mins
Serves: 4
Dessert — Grapefruit Yogurt Cake
Satisfy you and your sweetie’s sweet tooth with this simple yet sweet grapefruit yogurt cake.
Grab these ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar divided
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp. grapefruit zest (1 Winter Sweetz Texas red grapefruit)
- ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 and ⅔ cup heavy cream whipped
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- (for the glaze) – ½ cup powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Then, do this:
- Heat up the oven to 350 degrees F. and spray down a loaf pan with your baking spray of choice.
- Then, mix in your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) into a small bowl. Grab another bowl and whisk together your yogurt, eggs, grapefruit zest, vanilla, and 1 cup of the sugar, then combine with said dry ingredients.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure everything is mixed well. Now, pour in the batter to a prepared baking pan and bake for around 50 minutes, depending on your stove. Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the loaf to see if it comes out clean, and if so, let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
- In a small pot on low heat, dissolve the leftover 1/3 cup of sugar in the 1/3 cup grapefruit juice until the mixture is clear, then set it aside.
- With your cake on a baking rack sitting over a sheet pan, soak in the grapefruit-sugar solution. Once that is set, combine the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice into a glaze and drizzle that goodness over the top. Bonus points if you thinly slice some half-moon grapefruit slices and lay them over the top for an eye-catching garnish.
Time: 1 ½ hours (including baking time)
Serves: 6
Drinks — Texas Red River Margarita
This tasty drink combines the sweetness of a Rio Red, some good heat courtesy of jalapeño peppers, and the smooth, vanilla flavors derived from good tequila into a cocktail fit for Texas. Prepare these for your loved one this Valentine’s Day!
What to Buy:
- 1 cup Winter Sweetz Texas red grapefruit juice
- 4 oz. tequila
- 2 jalapeno peppers, quartered and seeded
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. coarse sugar
- ½ cup simple syrup
Concocting The Cocktail:
- Put tequila and jalapenos in a small bowl. Let it stand for 2-3 hours.
- With water, moisten the rims of your margarita or cocktail glasses. Mix salt and sugar on a plate while holding each glass upside down and dipping rim salt into the mixture. Set aside. Put away leftover salt mixture on your plate.
- Strain tequila into a small bowl, getting rid of jalapenos. Stir in grapefruit juice and simple syrup. Serve in glasses over ice.
Time: 15 minutes + standing
Serves: 2