Loquat ideas, anyone?

[jkath]

I have so many loquats on my tree right now. Picture ths: the tree is taller than my 2-story house and is about 12' wide. It is in full-fruit right now, with hundreds of lucious treats. I love eating them right off of the tree, but because so MANY are ripe right now, I'm wondering if anyone has any recipes. Around southern California, most people either have a tree or know someone with one, but I don't believe they're that popular in many states. Here's a photo of what they look like, as a fruit, just before they're ripe:

The fruit tastes like a mix between an apricot, a peach and a plum. Very juicy, about the size of a golf ball, and with a tart skin (super easy to peel).

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[middie]

ooh they sound tasty ! never had them before.
anyway this sounds good to me
http://www.gemworld.com/Loquat-Recipes.ASP

 

[jkath]

yep, I've seen those too, but I'm not particularly fond of making preserves.


I did find one recipe for loquat pie I may make tonight, but it says to leave a few seeds in, as they are nutty and tasty. However, I was always led to believe the seeds were poisonous. I found a link that says the same thing.
Click here: Toxic Plants
(I'm guessing the person who posted the seed idea is either superhuman or hasn't tried the pie).

one more note: the other name for loquat is Japanese Plum.

 

[middie]

I'll go surf some more Jkath

 

[middie]

http://www.deliciousdelicious.com/archives/2005/04/loquats.html

 

[jkath]

great sounding recipe and a soap opera to boot! Thanks!

 

[middie]

Jkath that's about all I can find. I'm having NO luck here lol

 

[middie]

Found this link. Sounds good to me

http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=153424

 

[jkath]

Fantastic! Good job, Middie!
Thank you so much!!

 

[middie]

I'm wondering if they would be good in a cobbler too ?
Just replace peaches or whatever with the loquats ?

 

[jkath]

I've got to find my Mom's wonderful peach cobbler recipe. She puts cinnamon rolls on top of the peaches before baking. mmmmm That would be a great flavor to complement the loquats! you Super sleuth, you!

 

[ronjohn55]

I only have one question..

Do they ferment well?

John

 

[BreezyCooking]

I bet they'd be great roasted alongside a Chinese 5-Spice Rubbed duck.

 

[jkath]

I only have one question..

Do they ferment well?

John

I bet they would. Any suggestions?

I bet they'd be great roasted alongside a Chinese 5-Spice Rubbed duck.

I bet you are right. I never see loquats at the grocery stores, as they only keep for a few days, max. I have, however, seen them in Asian markets.

 

[ronjohn55]

Any suggestions?

Maybe run them through a juicer, put the juice into a clean (sanitzed) bottle or jug, and add some yeast from one of those high quality beers that I know you have around the house like Sierra Nevada that have yeast in the bottom.

Loosely cover the bottle (don't seal it unless you want the glass to go boom) so air can still get out, but stuff won't float in, and see what it does! If it works, you'll have loquat wine, sulfite free!

If it takes off, we'll work out how to get it off of the sediment that will build up.

John

 

[Swann]

You can cut up to make a sauce for chicken or pork, add to salad. Eating raw is the preferable way. They do not have a strong enough flavor to make into jam or jellies. Mix with peach or apricot or pineapple for pie. They freeze well too. Mix a few with mango for chutney. You need a stronger flavored fruit and use loquats as a filler/extender.

 

[jkath]

Maybe run them through a juicer, put the juice into a clean (sanitzed) bottle or jug, and add some yeast from one of those high quality beers that I know you have around the house like Sierra Nevada that have yeast in the bottom.

Loosely cover the bottle (don't seal it unless you want the glass to go boom) so air can still get out, but stuff won't float in, and see what it does! If it works, you'll have loquat wine, sulfite free!

If it takes off, we'll work out how to get it off of the sediment that will build up.

John

Okay! I'll try it out. One question....do I keep it on the counter or the fridge? I'm assuming counter, but the germ freak in me is hoping it's the other.....

 

[ronjohn55]

Okay! I'll try it out. One question....do I keep it on the counter or the fridge? I'm assuming counter, but the germ freak in me is hoping it's the other.....

That will depend on what type of yeast you dump into it. What are your options?

Most likely you want cool, but not cold temps (upper 60s to low 70s). Remember, this is one situation where you want things to grow in it!

And at worse, you'll end up with loquat vinegar! No known pathogens can survive in the environment fermenting beer/wine creates (just don't go finding any UNKNOWN pathogens!).

Here's a recipe for loquat wine: http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques9.asp

If you have any questions, just ask away!

John

 

[Bilby]

I have made jam with the fruit from my tree, stewed it (and frozen it), made a pie and cooked with chicken. Anywhere you use apricots, you can substitute a loquat. Best eaten raw but there are only so many you can eat! Biggest problem with cooking with them is pitting and skinning them, although you can just stick em in the pot and strain later, or so I have heard. I have only done it the painstaking way. My crop this year got ruined with fruit fly before I had even tried one. The rainbow larikeets and 28's have been having a feast for the past couple of weeks eating all the dying fruit.

Bottle them in brandy for gifts as well.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I have several of these big loquat trees, too. I've always considered them an annoyance because they are so messy. They produce huge amounts of fruit and they attract squirrels and raccoons. It's hard to get to them before the squirrels do so by the time they are ripe, most are chewed on. Also, the seeds are pretty large and I have squirrels who actually throw them at birds or cats. (OK, maybe it's more like "drop" them down but one of the biggest trees is right next to a side patio. The squirrels don't like cats or birds on "their" patio so when they spy trespassers, the squirrels protest loudly and the seeds start raining down.)

Does anyone think I could harvest some of the fruit early and let it ripen on the counter? I love the idea of making loquat wine.