Kumquat

The kumquat is a Corfu peculiarity rather than a Greek ingredient in any general sense. It was brought to the island by a British horticulturist in the nineteenth century, during the period when Britain governed the Ionian islands, and it took to the climate so well that Corfu now grows almost all of the Greek crop and has built a small local industry of preserves and liqueurs around it.

It is the one citrus eaten whole, skin and all, and it works the opposite way round to an orange: the peel is sweet and the flesh inside is sharp. Glyko koumkouat, whole fruit simmered in syrup until glossy, is the classic Corfiot spoon sweet, alongside a bright orange liqueur and a marmalade sold in every shop on the island.

Buy fruit that is firm and glossy rather than soft, and do not skip the preparation. Pierce each kumquat, then soak it through several changes of water over a day or two to draw out the bitterness, and cook it at a slow simmer rather than a hard boil, which is what lets the pith soften and mellow instead of staying harsh.