A bit of a false advertiser, the pomelo—a.k.a. pummelo, a.k.a. pimplenose, a.k.a. citrus maxima, a.k.a. grapefruit’s overgrown ancestor—looks like it could easily deliver a gallon of juice for breakfast, with plenty left over to top off a round of pomelo Bellinis for lunch. But much of this hefty fruit’s bulk belongs to a thick pith that looks and feels a little like Owens-Corning Fiberglas insulation. Nevertheless, the bigger the fruit, the more rind there is for this bittersweet treat from Sapa’s Patricia Yeo. When life throws you a pithy pomelo, as they say, make candied pomelo peel. --Rob Patronite

Ingredients

1 large pomelo
Water
2 cups sugar
Milk chocolate (optional)

Instructions

(1) Peel pomelo, taking care to remove as much of the pith as possible, and reserve fruit for another use. Cut the peel into 1⁄4-inch-wide strips. Fill a small pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the pomelo peel and (2) blanch for 1 minute. Remove peel and drain. Repeat 3 times, changing water each time (this removes some of the peel’s bitterness). After the third blanching, refill pot with 2 cups fresh water and 2 cups sugar. Dissolve sugar over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, add the peel back to the pot, and reduce heat to low until the peel is translucent and almost no liquid remains, about 1 hour. Remove the peel from the pot and (3) cool on a wire rack. Toss in granulated sugar (or dip in melted chocolate). Store in airtight container for up to one week. (Published 2007)