By Mary Heckrotte
Before changing cruising latitudes, you probably only had guava as jam or jelly or maybe you had guava nectar in a bottled beverage (though if you’re from South Africa, you might have had guava tapioca in your baby food!) Until recent improvements in transportation, this fruit was another of those tropical treasures most folks from cooler climes sampled only while on vacation. But now that you’re in Caribbean waters, you can indulge in this treat anytime at all. Fresh guavas are in season, generally, from late spring through fall. The rest of the year, you’ll see jellies and jams and preserves, nectars and concentrates, sheets of dried guava and bars of guava paste at all your favorite grocers. So what is a guava?
Round, oval, or pear-shaped, guavas are small fruit, from one to four inches long, with skin color ranging from yellow-green to yellow. Guava fruits grow on small trees, 33 feet or so high, hearty rascals that grow in such abundance in some areas (e.g. Puerto Rico, Cuba, US Virgin Islands) that they just run wild, growing in thickets as pesky as kudzu. These wild guavas, however, are what you’ll most likely find at the street market and they even constitute most of the exported commercial supply.
Guavas are believed to have originated in southern Mexico but they have been distributed so extensively for over 2,000 years that their beginnings are unclear. Guavas have been cultivated in the West Indies since Spanish and Portuguese settlers first brought them around 1526. Now there are literally hundreds of cultivated varieties with wonderful names like “Cayenne”, “Wickramasekara”, “Rojo Africano”, “Hapi”, and even just plain “Patricia” and “Webber.” Cultivated guavas have a bewildering array of characteristics based on sugar content, number of seeds, amount of juice, texture, flavor, and how well they keep. One variety, “Ruby”, is said to have few seeds and outstanding flavor. But who knows which one is which? For ordinary cruising folks, we can just taste — and if we like it, it’s right for us.
Inside, the guava flesh may be yellowish, pink, white, red, or cream-colored, depending on the variety. Fresh ripe guavas are delicious eaten raw, out of hand, skin, seeds, and all. (As always, first disinfect with a 15-minute soak in water with a few drops of iodine or bleach.) Or you may prefer to cut the guava in half, scoop out the seeds, then eat the guava with a teaspoon. Or you can puree the guava in a food processor and then strain out the seeds. While many people discard the seeds, they are actually small and edible, in fact have an extra high content of Vitamin C. The slightly acidic and musky flavor of guava can be anywhere from sour to sweet, and might remind you of the combined tastes of strawberries, bananas, pears and pineapples. Guavas smell heavenly, just exactly how you would imagine a tropical fruit ought to smell. The texture of the flesh is a bit grainy, much like a pear. Guavas are high in vitamins C and A and are a good source of potassium. They contain soluble dietary fiber and have about 45 calories per half cup.
Choose guavas that are just turning yellow and will give a little when gently pressed. Avoid those that have numerous black marks. Leave the guavas to finish ripening at room temperature and don’t chill them until the color has deepened and their delightful fragrance has intensified. Then plan to use the guavas right away as they will only keep about two days in the refrigerator. Beware that guavas, like apples, are prone to having small worms inside, especially those wild guavas sold in local markets. Cut them open before use and discard any worms by scooping them out with a teaspoon.
In the Caribbean, guava nectar, alone or in combination with other flavors, is a popular beverage. Many recipes call for bottled guava concentrate or the preserved guava paste (also called “guava cheese”) that is sold in thick bars. You can make your own juice, jam, and paste when fresh guavas are in season (recipes follow) or, for ease and convenience and year round availability, just purchase them ready-made. You’ll also find canned and frozen guavas. But nothing quite beats fresh guavas when they are abundant and ripe. You can add slices or chunks of guava to tropical fruit salads or toss them in your fruit smoothies. For an easy dessert, just poach guava slices in a bit of simple syrup, guava nectar, or orange juice and serve them with cream cheese. And, of course, guavas make a fine ingredient for a wide array of sauces, main dishes, and especially desserts. The recipes below are just a few of the ways you can enjoy guavas, another treasure to add your list of reasons why you cruise the Caribbean.
Fresh Guava Juice
Select firm, ripe guavas. Trim off the blossom ends and any bad spots. Cut guavas in half to check for any worms. Mash guavas through a sieve. Add two cups of water to each one cup of rendered pulp. If the guavas are a little sour, sweeten to taste with simple syrup. If they seem too sweet, add a little pineapple juice.
Guava Jelly
Ripe guavas
Lime juice
White sugar
Cut washed and dried guavas into quarters and remove seeds. In large saucepan, add just enough water to cover and boil until tender, about 30 minutes. Pour guavas into a plastic or glass container and let them stand overnight. In the morning, return them to the saucepan and bring them to a near boil. Remove from heat and pour into a cheesecloth or muslin bag to drain, collecting the juice. Return juice to saucepan. Bring juice to a boil and then add 1 cup sugar for each cup of juice and 1 tablespoon lime juice for each 5 cups of juice. Boil gently until the juice will pass the “jell” test: put a few drops of juice on a cold saucer to see if it jells when cool. Pour into sterilized jars and seal at once. This jelly should have the same consistency as apple jelly.
Guava Paste (Jalea de Guayaba or Guava Cheese)
Guavas, washed, halved
Sugar
Put guavas in a saucepan and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer until tender. Strain the guavas through a fine sieve, keeping the juice. Measure the juice and pour into the saucepan or a larger pot. For every cup of guava juice, add 1 cup of sugar. Over low heat, bring to boil stirring constantly until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Put paste into buttered trays; each tray should have a layer about 2 inches thick. Cool. When firm, cut into squares and roll in granulated sugar. You can wrap the pieces in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.
Shrimp with Guava Salsa
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled, de-veined
1 Cup sour orange juice (fresh-squeezed or bottled Badia brand is good)
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
SALSA
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons onion, minced
1 Cup guavas, seeded and chopped
1 Cup papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 Cup orange juice
1/4 Cup lime juice
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 firm-ripe bananas, diced
COCONUT RICE
2 Cups coconut milk (or 2 Cups water plus 1/2 Cup coconut milk powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 Cup rice
Marinate shrimp in sour orange juice and cilantro for one to four hours. In the meantime, in a 2-quart bowl combine all salsa ingredients except banana. Cover and chill. In a saucepan, bring coconut milk and salt just to boiling point. Add rice and stir. Cover and turn heat to its lowest setting. Simmer rice about 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Just before rice is finished, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Sauté shrimp about 3 to 5 minutes or until they turn pink. Add bananas to chilled salsa. To serve, place rice on platter, then shrimp, with salsa on top. Garnish with a bit of fresh cilantro if desired. Serves 4.
Pork Tenderloin with Guava Sauce
2 one-half-pound pork tenderloins
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 Cup red wine
1/4 Cup honey
1/4 Cup water
2 guavas, seeded, sliced
Sprinkle tenderloins with thyme, salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add tenderloins and sauté over medium-high heat until lightly browned on all sides. Add wine, honey, water and guavas. Cover skillet and lower heat. Simmer for about 25 minutes or until tenderloins are fork tender. Good served with rice, using sauce to cover. Makes 2 servings.
Sweet Potatoes with Guava Glaze
3 sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled (or 1 large can sweet potatoes, drained)
1/2 Cup guava jelly
1 Tablespoon butter
Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Arrange pieces in an 8”x 8” pan coated with non-stick spray. In a small saucepan, heat jelly and butter until melted. Stir well then drizzle mixture over top of sweet potatoes. Bake 15 minutes at 350°F. Then gently turn potatoes over. Baste with guava syrup and bake for another 15 minutes. Makes 2 or 3 servings.
Guava Chiffon Pie
1 pie shell, baked and cooled
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
4 eggs, separated, room temperature
1 Cup guava juice
3/4 Cup sugar, divided (1/2 Cup and 1/4 Cup)
3 or 4 drops red food coloring
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Whipped topping
Guava slices
Put gelatin in lemon juice and set aside until softened. In a saucepan, mix together egg yolks, guava juice, and 1/2 Cup sugar. Add food coloring. Put on medium heat and stir until the mixture thickens. Add gelatin mixture and stir to melt. Cool to room temperature. With an electric mixer on high, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Slowly add 1/4 Cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in gelatin mixture and spoon into prepared crust. Chill well until serving time. Top with whipped topping and guava slices. Serves 6 to 8.
