How to Supreme Citrus
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell1/6What the Heck Is a Supreme?
Supremes are sections of a citrus fruit with all of the pith and peel cut away—AKA the best part. With just a few slices, it's a cinch to get that full citrus flavor without any of the bitterness. Once sliced, you can use supremes in salads, seafood dishes like ceviche, or as a finishing touch any time you want a pure citrus flavor without the bitterness.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell2/6Step 1
To start, slice both ends of the fruit so that it can sit upright on a cutting board (and don’t throw out the ends—use those citrus “heels” to add a finishing spritz to a dish or a cocktail).
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell3/6Step 2
Working as close to the citrus flesh as possible, cut to the contour of the fruit’s peel in a down-and-out motion. Work your way around the fruit until you’ve cut away the peel and only traces of the pith remain.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell4/6Step 3
Using a 5-inch utility knife (or another small, sharp knife), slice off any excess pith to clean up the remainder of the fruit. If you have one, a flexible fish knife works even better.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell5/6Step 4
Holding the fruit in your hand with your fingers tucked in, find the membranes in between the softer sections of fruit. Cutting from the inside of the membranes towards the core, slice out the fleshy pulp. Keep all sliced membranes in the citrus for now—it’s easier to hold the shape in your hand when it’s still intact. And that's it!
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell6/6Step 5
Continue rotating the fruit and cutting out the supremes, until you’ve separated all of the membranes from the citrus supremes. Use your utility knife to remove any seeds that might still be attached once you remove the membranes.
