How to Supreme Citrus (Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon)

To supreme citrus, slice off the top and bottom, cut away the peel and white pith following the curve of the fruit, then slide a knife along both sides of each membrane to free the segments. The result is pure, juicy flesh with no bitter pith or chewy skin.

Why supreme citrus?

An orange segment straight from the peel is wrapped in a thin membrane, and the fruit is surrounded by spongy white pith. Both are tough and bitter. Grapefruit pith and membranes carry naringin, a strongly bitter flavonoid. Oranges and lemons contain limonoids, which can also turn bitter, especially after juice sits.

Removing these parts gives you segments that look like jewels, taste sweeter, and feel tender. Supremes are used in salads (fennel and orange, beet and grapefruit), on seafood, in desserts, and in vinaigrettes and pan sauces where a burst of acid is welcome.

Before you start: zest first

If you want zest, take it now, while the peel is still on the fruit. Grate only the coloured outer layer (flavedo), where the aromatic oils live. Once you have cut off the peel, zesting is nearly impossible.

Steps

1. Chill the fruit and set a bowl nearby. Cold fruit is firmer and easier to cut cleanly. The bowl catches supremes and juice.
2. Cut a thin slice off the top and bottom. Remove just enough to expose a circle of flesh at each end, about 1 cm on an orange, more on a thick-skinned grapefruit.
3. Stand the fruit up and slice off the peel and pith in strips. Starting at the top, follow the curve of the fruit down to the board, cutting just deep enough to remove the white layer. Rotate and repeat, working your way around.
4. Trim any remaining white pith. Go back over the fruit and shave off patches of pith. Be thorough; pith is where the bitterness lives.
5. Hold the fruit over the bowl and cut along each membrane. Slide the knife down one side of a segment, right next to the membrane, toward the centre. Then cut down the other side of the same segment.
6. Lift out each segment. The supreme should drop or lift free. Continue around the fruit, folding back the membranes like pages of a book as you go.
7. Squeeze the leftover membranes for juice. You will get 2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 60 mL) from an orange, perfect for a dressing.

Knife choice and technique

A thin, sharp paring knife gives the most control for cutting between membranes; a chef's knife is easier for removing the peel. A serrated knife also works well on the peel, since the teeth bite through waxy skin without slipping.

Cut toward the centre with a smooth slicing motion rather than prying. Prying tears the segment and squeezes out juice. If the segment will not release, angle the knife slightly toward the membrane and recut.

Common mistakes and fixes

• Bitter supremes: pith left on the fruit. Shave it all off in step 4.
• Losing too much flesh with the peel: your cuts are too deep. Follow the line where white meets colour; a little pith at first is better than a lot of lost fruit, since you can trim it after.
• Mangled segments: the knife is dull or you are sawing. Sharpen the knife and cut each side in one stroke.
• Seeds: flick them out with the knife tip as you go, or use seedless varieties.
• Soggy salad: supremes release juice. Drain them before adding to delicate greens, and use the juice in the dressing instead.

Using citrus acid wisely

Citrus juice is acidic, with a pH around 2 to 3 for lemon and lime and 3 to 4 for orange. That acid can "cook" the surface of raw fish (as in ceviche), keep cut apples from browning, and brighten a rich sauce. Add supremes to warm dishes at the end; heat dulls their fresh flavour and softens the segments.