Florida Grapefruit Posset at Wild By Tart

Florida Grapefruit season is here. To celebrate Wild by Tart and Florida Grapefruit have teamed up to provide a limited edition dish.

Florida Grapefruit dates from the 1800s and the unusual name is due to how it grows in a cluster like grapes on citrus trees. January to March which are the coldest months in Florida mean it’s the perfect time to eat this fruit. In fact, Florida Grapefruit is known is known for being the sweetest and juiciest grapefruit in the world

To start, we had a refreshing Paloma garnished with, of course, Florida grapefruit. Then we were served citrus cured bream carpaccio with Florida Grapefruit, pickled chillies and coriander oil. It was an impressive dish with the grapefruit elevating it that much more. Paired with some focaccia it was a good way to start the night.

Our main was black pepper, curry leaf and cinnamon spiced pork tenderloin with coriander salsa, Florida Grapefruit and coconut sambal. This tender pork was served with sharing bowls of crispy potatoes which gave it an elegant but cozy and warm Sunday roast feel. Everyone loved the salad and had fun trying to figure out what was in it. We were amazed that it had brussel sprouts with candied walnuts and maple syrup. As someone whose housemate is always encouraging me to try them, I can now proudly say this brussel sprout salad was amazing and I’d happily have this again and again.

Dessert was the latest edition to the menu – the Florida Grapefruit Posset with Florida Grapefruit jelly and Fennel Milk Meringue. They have succeeded in combining sweet citrus and subtle scent fennel in this elegant, delicious dish. The recipe can be found below.

Unfortunately the starter and mains were for the one-off Florida grapefruit event (they really should be on the menu) but the Florida Grapefruit Posset is available from 20th February to 12th March.

Wild by Tart’s menu is inspired by people and places the founders Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison. They pride themselves on providing quality delicious food made with love. As such the food explores colours, tastes and textures, uses seasonal ingredients and sustainably sourced items where possible. They also use ingredients sourced from Jemima’s farm in Somerset and Lucy’s farm in Northumberland.

Wild by Tart is housed in a former power station and coal store and combines a restaurant, bar, retail store, events space, and photography studio. There is an open kitchen with counter seating, a wood burning oven and charcoal grills. The bar features hand painted wallpaper depicting ‘The Hunt’ (a Zebra and jaguar). There’s a private dining area in the mezzanine available for hire which overlooks the court yard. This is where we sat with candles and dried flowers the centre pieces and greenery from the ceiling.

Wild by Tart is open 12-3 and 6-10pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and 12-3pm Sundays. The bar is open 12pm-11:30pm on Tuesdays- Thursday, 12pm to 12am Friday and Saturday and 12pm-4:30pm on Sundays.

This Florida Grapefruit Posset recipe serves 4-6 people.

Florida Grapefruit Jelly:

200g Florida Grapefruit juice (strained)

25g caster sugar

2 gelatine leaves

Juice of one lemon

1. Bloom gelatine leaves in ice water until soft

2. In a small saucepan, combine grapefruit juice and sugar, then bring to a simmer and remove from heat

3. Squeeze out all water from bloomed gelatine and add it to the simmered juice until dissolved

4. Strain over desired moulds with 40g of mixture in each

5. Allow to set in the fridge

Florida Grapefruit Posset:

Juice of 1 Florida Grapefruit

400g double cream

100g caster sugar

1. Place cream and sugar in a pan and bring to a light boil, simmer for 3 minutes and take off the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes

2. Pour into prepared moulds over set jelly

3. Place in fridge and leave it to set (usually a couple of hours)

Milk Meringue:

100g egg whites

200g caster sugar

25g milk powder

Sprinkle of crushed fennel seeds

1. In a small bowl, combine sugar and milk powder, then set aside

2. In a KitchenAid fitted with a whisk attachment, place whites and begin to whisk on medium/high speed

3. Once whites get frothy, slowly start to rain in the sugar mixture, whip until stiff peaks

4. Fill a piping bag with meringue, and put long line across a silicone baking mat on a baking tray, sprinkle on top crushed fennel

5. Bake at 100 degrees C (fan 3) for 30 minutes or until meringue can cleanly and easily peel off the silicone baking mats

Florida Grapefruit/thyme syrup:

250ml Florida Grapefruit juice (2 large grapefruit)

2 thyme sprigs

105g caster sugar

30ml lemon juice

1. Bring juices and sugar to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes

2. Remove from the heat and add thyme

3. Leave to infuse overnight, then strain

To serve:

1 Florida Grapefruit, cut into segments

Small bunch of micro fennel fronds

1. Take the posset and submerge in a bowl full of hot water for a few seconds, being careful to not get any water on the posset itself.

2. Place a plate on top of the posset and flip over in one motion, place the plate the right way up on your surface. Slowly remove the mould from the plate exposing the posset and jelly.

3. Clear up with a cloth any cream that could have melted away from the posset onto the plate. Drizzle around the plate the grapefruit thyme syrup, place the Florida Grapefruit segments on top of the syrup, then place the meringue on top of the jelly. Garnish with micro fennel fronds.

Address: 3-4 Eccleston Yards, Belgravia, SW1W 9AZ.

Website: https://www.wildbytart.com

Phone: 020 3848 6240

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildbytart?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildbytart/

Written by Caitlin Neal