One of my memories of winters back home, while I was growing up, involves sitting in the sun and eating sections of mandarins dipped in salt.
Each time I come across mandarins I am tempted to eat them that way. The flavorful combination of sweet and salty is a real treat for the palate.
I would have never thought of dipping them in brine and now believe I will no longer eat them any other way.
This recipe is adapted from a beautiful little cookbook I own called Salt & Pepper. Try it out next time as a simple end to a meal, or all on its own as a snack.
Salted Mandarins
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fleur de sel
2 mandarins, peeled and sectioned with pith removed
Stir the water and fleur de sel together in a bowl until the salt dissolves. Place the mandarin sections in the bowl and toss well to coat.
Lay the sections on a wire rack to air-dry for 5-6 hours or until their skins are tight.
