Kiwi> Boring brown exterior belies exotic taste of vibrant green fruit

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On the surface, the kiwi is a dull-looking little fruit. But its brown, furry hide holds a treasure within. The circle of black seeds fanning out against jade-green flesh — like the perfect spiral of a nautilus shell or a peacock’s paisley plumes — is among the rich patterns found in nature.

These gray winter days, kiwifruit conjure up visions of New Zealand — the world’s top producer of the fruit — of sheep farmers, snowcapped volcanoes, steaming waterfalls, fern-filled rain forests and, of course, the other kiwi, that flightless bird boasting nostrils at the tip of its long beak.

The kiwi (pronounced KEE-wee) is also a delight to eat. The tangy, smooth-textured fruit adds zip to a dish of plain or vanilla yogurt and granola. Top a stack of buttermilk pancakes with kiwi slices, garnish with pecan halves and drizzle with maple syrup.

Kiwi slices add an exotic touch to cheesecake or shortcake too. They jazz up chicken salad and teriyaki steak. Blended with rum and lime juice, the fruit make a fine daiquiri. They’re also a treat eaten alone.

Michelle Mays, a New Zealander from the heart of kiwi country who works as a receptionist at Morris Yachts in Southwest Harbor, hasn’t lost her fondness for kiwis.

“I can sit down and eat 15 kiwifruit all in a row,” she declared one recent wintry day.

Mays comes from the town of Te Puke on North Island — one of the two large islands that make up New Zealand — overlooking the Bay of Plenty on the Pacific coast. The region boasts a mild climate year-round.

“If we have two or three frosts, we think it’s a really hard winter,” she said, chuckling.

Mays has picked her share of kiwifruit. She says you wear a burlap sack around your neck.

“You feel like this big kangaroo. It’s like being nine months pregnant every 15 minutes,” relates the New Zealander. She likens a kiwifruit orchard to “McDonald’s golden arches, only it’s green above. It’s like a canopy on both because the branches come right down to the ground. You walk under, picking the fruit from above and along the sides.”

At Christmastime in New Zealand, tradition is to serve Pavlova — New Zealand and Australia have an ongoing dispute over who invented the luscious dessert — named for the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. The dish consists of a crisp meringue shell filled with whipped cream and fresh fruit, usually kiwifruit, passion fruit and pineapple.

“It’s like a great big meringue that’s crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and decorated with whipped cream,” says Mays.

Kiwis complement trifle — a deep-dish British dessert — made with sponge cake, custard, sherry, jam or fruit and whipped cream. They also make a colorful garnish for a plate of scones topped with whipped cream.

Besides its unique taste, the kiwi possesses more nutrients per bite than many other fruit. A serving of two medium-sized kiwis contains about twice as much vitamin C as an orange. The fuzzy skin is packed with fiber.

While New Zealand is the world’s top producer of kiwis, Chile, Italy and California are among the other major sources keeping Maine supplied year-round with the fruit.

Pavlova

3 egg whites 3 tablespoons cold water 1 cup castor sugar (very fine sugar) 1 teaspoon vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 3 teaspoons corn flour (finely ground cornmeal)

Beat egg whites until stiff, add cold water and beat again. Add castor sugar very gradually while still beating. Slow beater and add vinegar, vanilla and corn flour. Place on greased tray and bake at 300 for 45 minutes, then leave to cool in the oven.

Brie Glazed with Kiwifruit and Cranberry Marmalade (This recipe and the following from the California Kiwifruit Commission)

1/2 cup dried cranberries 2 tablespoons currants 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon cloves, ground

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

1/4 teaspoon allspice, ground

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water 1 kiwifruit, peeled and chopped 2 tablespoons pecan pieces 1 small wheel of brie cheese

Place the cranberries, currants, brown sugar, cloves, ginger root, allspice, mustard and water in a medium saucepan. Cook gently over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer the mixture until the cranberries swell and the liquid thickens into a jamlike consistency, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. When cool, stir in the chopped kiwi and pecan pieces.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the whole brie on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Spread with the cooled kiwi-cranberry marmalade over the top of the brie to coat the edges evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the brie round swells. Remove from the oven and gently slide the brie onto a cheese board or plate. Serve immediately with crackers.

Serves approximately 12.

Kiwifruit Cilantro Jalapeno Salsa

3-4 kiwifruit, peeled and diced (1 1/2 cups) 2 medium tangerines or 1 orange, peeled and diced 1 cup peeled and diced jicama

1/2 cup diced sweet red or yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2-1 small jalapeno pepper, minced (seeds and veins removed)

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, mixing well. Chill briefly. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Serving suggestions: Serve as a dip with tortilla chips, toasted pita bread triangles or warm tortillas; as a sauce over grilled or baked halibut or swordfish steaks, chicken or roasted pork tenderloin; or over a warm flour tortilla filled with scrambled eggs.

California Chicken Salad with Kiwifruit

1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon salt lettuce 1 kiwifruit, pared and sliced

Combine chicken, celery, walnuts, mayonnaise and salt. Spoon onto 2 lettuce-lined salad plates. Garnish each serving with kiwifruit slices. Makes 2 servings.

Kiwi Teriyaki Steak

4 kiwifruit, divided

1/4 cup each dry white wine, soy sauce and packed brown sugar 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional) 1 1/2-2 pounds (1 inch thick) boneless round steak

Pare and puree 2 kiwifruit. Combine with wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and oil in large baking dish; add steak and marinate 30 minutes. Remove steak from marinade; broil to desired degree of doneness. Slice steak and arrange on serving platter. Pare and slice remaining 2 kiwifruit; garnish platter with slices. Makes about 6 servings.

Kiwi Daiquiri

1 kiwifruit, pared and sliced 2-3 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon lime juice 1-2 ounces rum 1 drop green food color (optional) 8 ice cubes, crushed 2 kiwifruit slices

Blend all ingredients except kiwifruit slices in blender until smooth. Serve in stemmed glasses; garnish edge of each glass with kiwifruit slice. Makes 2 servings. Rum may be substituted with a fruity, colorful, alcohol-free drink.

Kiwifruit Sherbert

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1/4 cup water 2 egg whites 3-4 kiwifruit 1 1/2 cups lemon-lime carbonated beverage

1/4 cup lime juice

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and water. Bring to boil; stir until sugar dissolves. Boil, covered, over medium heat 5 minutes. Beat egg whites until stiff; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Slowly pour hot syrup into whites; beat constantly until mixture has cooled. Pare and puree kiwifruit to measure 3/4 cup. Gradually beat lemon-lime beverage, kiwifruit puree and lime juice into egg-white mixture. Freeze partially. Spoon mixture into chilled mixer bowl and beat with chilled beaters until mixture is light and foamy. Return to freezer and freeze until firm.

Makes about 6 servings.

Kiwiberry Shortcake

2 cups buttermilk baking mix 3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup milk 5-6 kiwifruit raspberry sauce (recipe below) frozen whipped topping, thawed fresh or frozen whole raspberries mint leaves to garnish

To make biscuits, stir together baking mix and sugar in a bowl. Add milk and stir until soft dough forms. Place on board slightly dusted with flour. Roll dough in flour and shape into ball; knead 10 times. Pat to 1/2-inch thick. Cut out 5-6 biscuits with lightly floured 3-inch round shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F. for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

Peel and slice kiwifruit thinly. Drizzle a small amount of raspberry sauce on dessert plates. To assemble shortcake, slice biscuit in half crosswise. Place bottom half of biscuit on sauce. Top with several slices of kiwifruit. Dollop with a bit of whipped topping and drizzle with a small amount of sauce. Top with other half of biscuit. Dollop top with a little more whipped topping and add a few more slices of kiwi. Garnish with raspberries and mint. Makes 5-6 servings.

Raspberry Sauce

In food processor or blender, puree 1 package (10 ounces) frozen red raspberries in syrup, thawed. Over saucepan, strain berries through a fine sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon. Discard seeds. Stir in 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Bring to boil, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Cool; cover and chill.