Tangerines and clementines are two varieties of mandarin oranges with a similar sweet, tangy, floral taste and skin that’s easy to peel. Both are notably rich in vitamin C and a quick and convenient snack to have on hand. Here’s how you can transform them into an ultra-simple, delicious relish to dress up a plain piece of skin-on fish or roasted tofu. Serves 4. – Susan Puckett, adapted from AmericasTestKitchen.com
Ingredients
- 4 tangerines or clementines
- 1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 center-cut skin-on salmon fillets, 5-6 oz. each
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to the lowest position. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack and preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
- Peel and cut away the white pith of the tangerines or clementines. Cut them in quarters, then slice crosswise ½ inch thick. Transfer the fruit pieces to a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and let drain for 15 minutes; reserve 2 tablespoons of the juice.
- Whisk the sliced scallion, lemon juice, ginger, and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil into the tangerine or clementine juice; season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and cut several shallow slashes, about 1 inch apart, on the diagonal through the skin. Rub the salmon evenly with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees, remove the sheet from the oven, and carefully place the salmon, skin-side down on the hot sheet. Roast until the center is still translucent when checked with the tip of a paring knife and registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 8 to 12 minutes.
- Spoon the tangerine relish over the fillets and serve.
Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.