An avalanche of chubby little Clementines came into my house over the holidays, obliging me use them up while they were still good. I candied the peels, a lengthy but simple process involving simmering the aromatic peel and scraping away the pith, simmering lozenges of rind in a heavy syrup, then laying them out to dry overnight, and finally rolling them in sugar. Dipped in bittersweet chocolate, they become Orangettes, an old-fashioned French confection that delighted our visitors. Clementine juice makes a sunny granita, sweetened with a little syrup from candying the rind. Put it in the freezer and whisk it once in a while until it gains a coarse crystalline texture. Just before serving, whisk it to a consistent texture, and splash on a few drops of Cointreau or orange flower water to transport the essence.

According to McMahon’s American Gardener, my treasured guide to all things horticultural, February is the time to prune and thin my raspberry canes. This nineteenth century gardening calendar is a marvel of detail. In month-by-month chapters, Bernard McMahon instructs you on every aspect of gardening. To him I owe last fall’s astonishing raspberry crop that was fruiting, unbelievably, after Thanksgiving. For months I picked them for breakfast, and still had buckets to freeze.

Raspberry cornbread is a treat on a cold morning. Simply fold a handful or two of frozen berries into the batter. In their frozen state they will stiffen the batter surrounding them, and remain in suspension while the bread bakes. Raspberry sauce is one of my favorites, elegant and divine with poached pears, or vanilla ice cream, with a Valentine’s Day chocolate cake, and simple custard made with good milk and eggs. Mash up a cup or two of defrosted berries with a few tablespoons of sugar and rub the puree through a sieve or food mill to extract the seeds. Yes, it takes a bit of time, but the pure smooth raspberry essence is absolutely worth the effort. If you don’t have your own frozen raspberries, you can find them in the frozen food section at the supermarket, and they are perfectly fine for sauce.

Clementine Scented Custard with Raspberry Sauce
For an extra rich custard, use 1 cup heavy cream and 3 cups whole milk.
1 quart whole milk
1/2 granulated cup sugar
1-inch cinnamon stick
3 to 4 two-inch strips Clementine or orange rind, trimmed of white pith
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 whole eggs
4 egg yolks

Butter six 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups. Arrange them in a deep pan large enough to hold the cups and water two-thirds the way up their sides. Heat the oven to 325.

Mix the milk and 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon and Clementine rind in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the liquid begins to simmer. Cover and set aside to steep until lukewarm. Add vanilla.
Whisk together the eggs and yolks in a bowl. Whisk in the milk. Strain the mixture into a bowl or pitcher. Skim any froth on the surface. Distribute the custard among the cups.

Add enough simmering water to the pan to come up two thirds the sides of the cups. Place in the oven, cover lightly with foil, and bake for 1 hour until just set. Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate if you are not serving right away.
Serve with a bowl of raspberry sauce.

 

Raspberry Sauce
 Makes about 1 cup
2 cups frozen and defrosted raspberries, with their juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Mash the raspberries with the sugar and rub through a fine sieve with a spoon into a bowl. Scrape the outside of the sieve occasionally to release the pulp. Continue until the seeds and solids in the sieve are fairly stiff from extraction. Taste the raspberry sauce and add a little lemon juice and more sugar if desired.