Sweet Bruschetta With Kumquat Tangerine Syrup Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• With a sharp thin knife thinly slice kumquats crosswise, removing seeds. Break cinnamon sticks in half. In a small saucepan bring sugar, corn syrup, and water to a boil with cinnamon sticks, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add kumquats and gently simmer until kumquats are translucent and syrup is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Diagonally cut eight 1/2-inch-thick slices from baguette and melt butter. Lightly brush butter onto both sides of baguette slices and arrange on a baking sheet. Toast slices in upper third of oven until pale golden, about 10 minutes.
• Squeeze juice from 2 tangerines and pour through a sieve into kumquat mixture. With a sharp knife cut peel from remaining 2 tangerines, including all white pith, and cut sections free from membranes. Squeeze any juice from membranes into kumquat mixture. Bring kumquat mixture to a simmer and add tangerine sections. Remove pan from heat.
• Dip toasts into syrup to coat both sides and arrange 2 toasts on each of 4 small plates. Spoon fruit and remaining syrup over toasts and garnish each serving with a piece of cinnamon stick.

Steps:

• Peel strips of zest from lemons and tangerines with a vegetable peeler, avoiding white pith; reserve fruit for another use. Put zest, kumquats, and vodka in a large nonreactive jar; cover and let stand at room temperature 2 to 3 days. Stir in simple syrup to taste. Refrigerate 1 day.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving some fruit for garnish, if desired. Divide among clean jars. Add some soaked fruit or strips of zest, if desired. Refrigerate up to 3 months.

Steps:

• Cut ends off kumquats, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, removing seeds. Place kumquat slices in medium saucepan; pour enough cold water over to cover by 2 inches. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Immediately remove from heat; strain. Return kumquat slices to pan; repeat blanching 2 more times. Transfer kumquat slices to medium bowl. Combine 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water in same saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to boil, brushing down pan sides with wet pastry brush. Add kumquat slices; press gently to submerge. Reduce heat so that mixture barely simmers. Cover surface with parchment round. Cook without stirring until kumquats are translucent, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer kumquat slices to medium bowl. Add lemon slices and lemon juice to syrup in pan, pressing to submerge. Bring to boil. Reduce heat so that syrup barely simmers. Cover surface with parchment round. Cook without stirring until lemon slices are translucent, occasionally pressing on parchment to submerge slices, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Transfer lemon slices to cutting board; cut each into quarters. Add lemon quarters and syrup to bowl with kumquat slices. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.
• Cut off peel and white pith from blood oranges. Working over bowl to catch juices and using small knife, cut between membranes to release segments. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Drain syrup from kumquat-lemon mixture, reserving syrup. Drain orange segments. Combine fruit in medium bowl, adding some syrup if mixture is dry.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes, dried basil, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, seasoning salt and ground black pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.