Grapefruit on Steroids

Have you ever seen those humongous looking grapefruits and said to yourself, "What is that!?" It's called a pomelo and it looks like a grapefruit on steroids - they can weigh up to 25 pounds and grow to a foot in diameter! Holy Pomelo, Batman! Native to Southeast Asia, it is also cultivated for commercial use in California, Florida and Israel. You can find them in Asian or specialty grocery stores.

The rind of the pomelo is quite thick, but soft and easy to peel. The pulp ranges from pale yellow to deep pinkish red, and the taste is sweeter and more mild than it's smaller cousin the grapefruit. For the ripest, choose one with a more yellow peel.

For a refreshing and easy side salad we simply peeled and separated the pomelo into segments, and removed the membranes and seeds (see photo below). We then tossed the segments with chopped hearts of romaine and mint leaves. Walnut oil added a wonderful nutty flavor, and Orange Muscat Champagne vinaigrette (purchased at Trader Joe's) enhanced the fresh citrus flavor of the pomelo. Seasoned with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Check out Cookalicious' yummy sounding Thai Spicy Pomelo Salad.

Sometimes you need add a little humor to your food.