Source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/taste/stories/DN-nf_inseason_0123liv.ART.State.Edition1.11dc240.html

In Season: Rio Star grapefruit is winding down

04:15 PM CST on Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Kim Pierce

[Click image for a larger version]

Rio Star is a registered trademark for a specific grapefruit developed in Texas. The intensely red-fleshed Rio Star that we know and love began with a fluke mutation on a South Texas white grapefruit tree in the 1920s.

In 1970, the Star Ruby, the reddest grapefruit the world had seen, was released. It was the product of research by Dr. Richard Hensz at the Texas A&I Citrus Center (now the Texas A&M Citrus Center) to intensify the red. It was followed in 1984 by the Rio Red. To differentiate these Texas varieties from other reds on the market, Texas later registered two red grapefruit trademarks: Ruby Sweet, which we don't see a lot of in North Texas, and Rio Star, which combined the best traits of the two reddest varieties, Rio Red and Star Ruby.

If all this history has you seeing Rio-Ruby stars, just note that we enjoy in Texas what many consider the best red grapefruit in the world, developed for and grown in the Rio Grande Valley. We're nearing the end of its season, so get your fix now. The following recipe combines Texas citrus with Gulf shrimp and jalapeños.

RIO STAR, SHRIMP AND SPINACH SALAD

Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder , 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.

Zest up to 2 seasonal oranges, such as navels or Cara Caras, to yield 1 tablespoon zest; set aside. Section 2 Rio Star grapefruit and the 2 oranges over a bowl, retaining the juice. Squeeze citrus after sectioning. Whisk olive oil into the citrus juice, 1 part oil to 2 parts citrus juice, to make a vinaigrette; season liberally with salt and pepper to taste. Add grapefruit and orange sections, and set aside to marinate.

Meanwhile, preheat a sauté pan over high heat. Dredge 2 pounds Gulf shrimp (peeled, tail on) in the flour. Add a few tablespoons olive oil to the hot pan. Brown one layer of shrimp until golden brown; turn over and brown the other side. Set shrimp on a cookie sheet.

Reduce sauté pan heat to medium-high. Add ¼cup olive oil , and drain the pan juices from the cookie sheet into it. Add 6 large cloves garlic (thinly sliced) and cook, stirring, until light brown. Add 2 jalapeños (thinly sliced) and cook until soft. Add 1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves and cook less than a minute to crisp. Remove from heat and add reserved orange zest, shrimp and citrus sections (reserving marinade), combining gently.

Toss 3 cups rinsed and dried baby spinach leaves with citrus marinade, and mound on 4 plates. Add shrimp and citrus. Makes 4 servings.

Kim Pierce

SOURCE: Adapted from TexaSweet Citrus Marketing