USING THE PAPAYA
By LENA E. STURGES
Assistant Economist in Food Conservation
The papaya is a melon-like tropical fruit which
varies in size and shape. The skin is smooth and
thin and colors range from deep orange to green.
The flesh is white before maturity, turning to a
rich yellow-orange as the fruit ripens.
The papaya is a very good source of vitamin A,
a good source of vitamin C, a fair source of B,,
and contains a small amount of vitamin B. The
sugar content varies from about 4 to 10 percent of
the fresh weight of the fruit. It is low in calories.
The fruit may be eaten "on the half shell" and
is improved if lemon or lime juice is sprinkled gen-
erously over it. It combines well with citrus fruits
in salads and fruit cups. The fresh papaya pulp
with milk or cream makes a delicious frozen des-
sert. Sliced and seasoned like peaches, papayas
may be used for pies. Papaya lends itself to the
making of sauce, butter, preserves and sweet
pickles.
The seeds of the papaya are attached to the
walls of the fruit cavity and are round, wrinkled,
greyish-black. They are the size of small peas and
are enclosed in a thin gelatinous covering. Many
people like to eat the seeds with the fruit. Others
prefer them bruised, with vinegar added and
served in salad dressing.
Papaya trees bear year-round in the sub-tropical
climate of southern Florida.
APPETIZERS, COCKTAILS AND DRINKS
CUBED DELIGHT
Choose a firm-ripe papaya. Peel it and cut it into
small cubes. Sprinkle generously with Florida
lime juice. Let it stand an hour in the refrigerator
before serving.
Lime juice, calamondin or other citrus juic
may be added if desired, but many prefer on1
the mild, distinctive flavor of the papaya. T
syrup left from the preserves is golden in col
and most delicious in flavor. When heavy and ric
it makes a fine accompaniment for ice cream a
pudding or a delightful spread for hot cakes
waffles.
SWEET SPICED PAPAYA PICKLES
Prepare the fruit and cook as for preserve
When fruit is clear and syrup thick and heavy, r
move fruit and add / to % cup of best vinegar f(
each pint of syrup, and whole spices as follow:
1 tablespoon whole cinnamon, 1 teaspoon eac
of cloves and allspice tied loosely in a cheesecloth
bag and lightly pounded. Boil 10 minutes, the
add papaya and cook another 10 minutes. Retu
fruit and let stand over night. Bring to boil, tran
fer fruit to hot, sterile jars, add hot syrup and se
at once. A beautiful fruit pickle with flavor at
color intrigue no end!
PAPAYA-PINEAPPLE MARMALADE
1 ripe papaya put
through coarse food
chopper
1 ripe pineapple put
through coarse food
chopper
1 teaspoon green going
(shave fine) to each
cup of ground papa:
and pineapple
1 cup sugar for each ci
pulp
Combine fruit and ginger. Boil gently for I
minutes. Add sugar and cook in pressure boil(
until fruit is clear and as thick as desired. Poi
piping hot into hot, sterile jars and seal at once.
RIPE PAPAYA JAM
6 cups ripe papaya pulp /2 cup lemon, lime or call
5 cups sugar mondin juice
Press ripe papaya through a coarse sieve, the
measure. Boil briskly in a smooth, heavy alun
inum saucepan or pressure boiler until thick
enough for jam. Add lemon juice and sugar an
continue boiling until thick and clear. Stir fr(
quently in order to prevent scorching. When th
desired consistency is obtained pour into hot, clea
jars and seal immediately. Store in cool, dar
place.
CANNING PAPAYA
PAPAYA, RIPE
Make a medium syrup. Let cool and add juice
one lime or lemon. Select firm, ripe fruit, wash,
it, and remove seed. Slice fruit in cool syrup.
ring slowly to boil and cook 2-3 minutes. Pack
t into clean jars or cans. Cover with hot syrup.
al and process pint jars for 15 minutes in water
ith.
PAPAYA, GREEN
Wash and peel papayas. Make a spiced syrup of
Scup sugar, 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, % oz.
anger root, 2 tablespoons cinnamon stick. Boil
id strain. Pour over green papaya that has been
cookedd for 4 minutes. Bring to a boil and pack
t in sterilized jars. Cover with syrup and seal.
ocoss pint jars in water bath for 15 minutes.
FREEZING PAPAYAS
Papayas tend to soften when frozen and there-
re do not give the best flavor and texture.
If freezing the papaya, select firm but fully ripe,
gh quality fruit. Prepare the papaya according
the use that will be made of it-as sliced or
ced for fruit cup or salad, puree for pie filling, ice
eam or other uses. Have the papaya cold when
epared. Make up a medium syrup, using as the
uid, pineapple juice, grapefruit or other citrus
lice, and measure for measure of sugar and juice.
ime, lemon, calamondin or other preferred acid
trus juice may be blended into the sugar syrup.
package in moisture-proof freezer containers, cov-
[ing fruit with syrup. Seal package and freeze at
ice.
references: Circular 133, Papaya Growing in Florida, pub-
lished by Agricultural Extension Service, Gainesville,
Fla.
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN
AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS
(Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914)
Agricultural Extension Service, University of Florida
Florida State University and
United States Department of Agriculture, Cooperating
M. O. Watkins, Director
USING FLORIDA FRUITS
1[)
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA
Circular 162
May 1957
FROSTED PAPAYA COCKTAIL
2 cups sugar
1 quart water
1 teaspoon gelatin
2 cups ripe papaya pulp
Juice of 2 lemons or
limes
Juice of 2 oranges
2 cups ripe papaya cut in
cubes
2 or three kumquats
sliced thin crosswise
% cup grapefruit sections
and juice
% cup fresh pineapple
chunks
Powdered sugar
Boil sugar and water together 5 minutes and
d the gelatin softened in cold water. When mix-
re is cold, add the papaya pulp which has been
messed through a sieve and the juice of the lemons
d oranges. Rangpur or other lime juice, cala-
ondin or any tart citrus juice may well be sub-
ituted for the lemon juice. Freeze in the usual
ay.
Mix fruit and chill thoroughly before serving,
sugaring very lightly. Have sherbet or cocktail
glasses cold. Moisten rim of each glass in grape-
fruit and dip in powdered sugar. Fill with the pre-
pared fruit. Serve very cold.
PAPAYA AND ORANGE COCKTAIL
1% cups ripe papaya
cubes
% cup diced orange
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Chill cream and whip. Add sugar, then marsh-
allows cut into quarters. Fold in papaya, lemon
ice, orange and coconut. Pour into serving
shes and chill before serving.
PRESERVES, PICKLES, ETC.
PAPAYA PRESERVES
Use freshly picked, sound, firm, ripe fruit. Peel
id cut in sizable, uniform pieces. Remove seed
not, as preferred. Weigh and for every pound
papaya add 1 pound of sugar. Sprinkle over
uit and allow to stand a few hours or until
gar is dissolved. If enough liquid is not drawn
*om the fruit to cover well, add water sufficient
cover.
Place over heat, bring to a boil and boil 15
minutes or until fruit is clear and transparent.
over tightly and let stand over night. Bring
ain to boil and boil until syrup is thick. IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT THE FRUIT BE KEPT
ELL COVERED WITH SYRUP AT ALL
TIMES.
Pack in hot, sterile jars and cover with the hot
yrup and seal at once.
1 cup papaya peeled and
cut in suitable slices
1 cup orange sections
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons lemon,
lime or other acid
citrus juice, guava or
berry juice
Preserved pineapple
Mix papaya slices and orange sections. Sprinkle
with lime, berry or guava juice. Chill and have
glasses chilled so that the cocktail, when served,
may be very cold. Garnish with preserved pine-
apple or citrus.
MIXED FRUIT COCKTAIL IN GRAPEFRUIT SHELLS
% medium size papaya
3 large grapefruit
1 large banana
3 kumquats, sliced very
thin
3 slices pineapple
% cup guava juice or
guava slices, fresh or
canned
Fresh mint
Sugar
Peel and slice papaya. Cut grapefruit in half,
crosswise. With a grapefruit corer or sharp shears
cut a circular piece from the center of each half,
being careful not to cut through the skin. Loosen
and then remove each section from the membrane
and skin with a grapefruit knife. Place shells in
cold water to keep them firm until serving time.
Prepare remainder of fruit. Mix together, add
fruit juice and sugar. Chill thoroughly. Serve
in cold grapefruit shells and garnish with mint.
PAPAYA MILK SHAKE
2 cups full ripe papaya
juice
%1 cup lemon, lime or cala-
mondin juice
1 cup ice water
3 tablespoons sugar
1V2 cup chilled milk
ROYAL HAWAIIAN DELIGHT
1 cup whipped cream
1/4 cup confectioners'
sugar
8 marshmallows
Y cup shredded coconut
PAPAYA SHERBET
Combine fruit juices, water and sugar and stir
untill sugar is dissolved. Add to chilled milk and
shake with crushed ice.
PAPAYA SHAKE
2 cups mashed ripe pa- % cup sugar
paya pulp 1% cups evaporated milk
% cup lemon or %A cup 1z cup water
lime juice 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Combine mashed fruit and sugar, then add other
ingredients, chill. Just before serving, shake with
cracked ice in a glass jar having tight-fitting lid.
BAKED DISHES
1 cup sugar
2 cups milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 pint cream, whipped
1% cups ripe sieved
papaya
/2 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
Y teaspoon salt
Prepare and cook custard. Add the papaya ar
spices. Chill. Freeze in the usual way in a 1-to
salt-ice mixture. If the custard base is not desire
a very delicious ice cream may be made by con
bining 1 pint papaya with % cup sugar and
tablespoons lime, lemon or calamondin juice. Ac
slowly 1 cup rich milk. Chill and freeze.
PAPAYA ICE CREAM (Mechanical Refrigerator)
1 small ripe papaya
(about 2 pounds)
3 medium sized tart ap-
ples
cup buttered crumbs
(optional)
cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
teaspoon salt
Peel papaya and remove seed. Cut the papaya
in % inch slices. Put in layers in a buttered baking
dish or casserole, alternating with layers of thinly
sliced apples. Sprinkle each layer of apples with
brown sugar and liberal dots of butter and a very
light sprinkling of salt, less than % teaspoon.
Settle layers firmly with the papaya on top. Cover
top with the buttered crumbs and bake until the
papaya and the apple are tender and the crumbs
are brown. If preferred, it may be finished with
sugar and butter and baked in a moderately hot
oven until candied and lightly browned.
PAPAYA EN CREAM
Put three cups of cubed ripe papaya into a but-
tered baking dish. Sprinkle with % teaspoon of
salt and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Cover and
bake in a moderate oven. When the papaya begins
to soften, cover with 2 cup coffee cream and
sprinkle with 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey.
Serve hot from the baking dish. This may be
seasoned further with a dash of nutmeg and ginger
if desired.
1% cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
/z teaspoon ginger
1a teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1% cups fresh or canned
papaya, put through
sieve
1 teaspoon grated orani
rind
1 tablespoon gelatin
'a cup cold water
% cup broken pecan
meats, coconut, or
preserved citrus peel
1 cup cream, whipped
Blend thoroughly sugar, cornstarch and all se.
sonings. Scald milk, add dry ingredients carefully
and cook until thick. Add to beaten egg yolk
Add papaya, orange rind and gelatin soakede
previously in -cup cold water); put in tray in r,
frigerator and freeze to a mush or chill. Add ni
meats and fold in cream. Turn refrigerator on fa,
freezing and freeze for 1 hour. Serve in sherb,
glasses or any preferred way.
PAPAYA MILK SHERBET
1% cups ripe papaya pulp
3 tablespoons lemon or
lime juice
cup orange juice
1% cups milk
1 cup sugar
Press papaya pulp through a coarse sieve an
combine with fruit juice. Dissolve sugar in mill
add fruit mixture gradually to milk, and freeze i!
an ice cream freezer using 8 parts of ice to 1 par
of ice cream salt. Ice cream may be made by sul
stituting thin cream for milk.
PAPAYA ICE CREAM (Freezer)
PAPAYA AND APPLE SCALLOP
GLAZED PAPAYA SLICES
Combine gently 1 cup of full-ripe, seeded suri-
m cherries, 1 cup diced pineapple, 1 cup orange
grapefruit sections, 1 cup papaya balls, % cup
ingo sliced. A half cup of shredded coconut may
added if liked. Cover with % to 1 cup mango,
selle or guava syrup. Chill for 4 to 6 hours be-
re serving.
PALM BEACH GOLD
% cup confectioners' 11/2cups papaya scooped
sugar out in round balls
B marshmallows 1 cup orange segments
1 cup full ripe pineapple, 1 cup whipped cream
shredded 2 teaspoons lemon or
lime juice
Chill and whip cream, add sugar, then marsh-
allows cut in fourths. Fold in papaya, orange and
aeapple. Pour into serving dish or individual
ass dishes. Chill well before serving.
SOUTH FLORIDA SHERBET
1 cup grapefruit juice
1 cup papaya (put
through fine sieve)
% cup sugar
1% cup thinly sliced kum-
quats
1 cup crushed pineapple
% teaspoon salt
Combine ingredients and pour into tray of elec-
c refrigerator. Freeze about 4 hours, stirring
ice. This amount will serve 8 when used as a
eat accompaniment. It will serve 6 for a dessert
th crackers and cheese or refrigerator cookies.
PAPAYA-ORANGE CUSTARD
1% cup papaya (sieved)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
% teaspoon ginger
1 cup brown sugar
% teaspoon salt
1% cups milk
2 eggs
Juice of 1 orange
Grated rind of half an
orange
Mix the dry ingredients, add the papaya, milk,
ange juice, grated rind and slightly beaten eggs.
lur into well oiled individual ramekins or into
e large pudding dish. Set into hot water and
ke in a low oven until a knife inserted comes out
san. Do not over-bake. Serve plain or with
lipped cream sweetened and flavored with honey.
Peel and seed ripe papaya. Cut in wide slices and
lay evenly in a flat baking pan. Baste with honey
and butter warmed together, sprinkle very lightly
with brown sugar. Put in medium to hot oven
until thoroughly cooked and nicely browned.
Serve from the pan in which baked.
Brown sugar, butter and water, such as is used
for glazing carrots and sweet potatoes, may be
used in place of the honey mixture.
Likewise, % cup jelly (guava, kumquat, or
strawberry), 4 tablespoons butter and 3 table-
spoons lemon juice may be blended together and
used for basting the papaya slices until soft and
glazed.
PAPAYA SAUCE CAKE
1 cup diced ripe papaya
3 tablespoons water
%1 cup fat
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1% teaspoons baking
powder
% teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon each of
ground cinnamon and
nutmeg
4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/ cups flour
2 teaspoons lemon juice
% cup seedless raisins
(if desired)
Stew the papaya and water together until a
smooth sauce is obtained; press the mixture
through a coarse sieve if necessary. Cream fat.
Add sugar and mix well. Add beaten egg. Sift dry
ingredients. Add cooled papaya sauce and the dry
ingredients alternately to egg mixture. Fold in
lemon juice and raisins. Pour into oiled loaf-pan
and bake in a moderate oven (3500F.) for 50-60
minutes.
SALADS
Many interesting salads, molded and otherwise,
may be made from papayas mixed with almost any
other fruit, fresh or canned. As a rule, however,
combinations of a sweet and a sour fruit offer the
most piquant flavor. Grapefruit, tangerine, thinly
sliced kumquat, tangelo-in fact all the citrus
fruits-are particularly delicious to combine with
any papaya mixture. Surinam cherries, carissa,
mangos, pineapples, crisp, sweet roseapples, and
other seasonable fruits of southern Florida, as well
MIAMI MELANGE
as figs, pomegranate, peaches, pears and other
Fruits, fresh and canned, may be used in many de-
lightful and healthful combinations.
GOLDEN PAPAYA SALAD
2 cups pineapple juice
1 small package lemon or
orange flavored gelatin
1 cup papaya cubes
1 cup orange sections
% cup surinam cherries,
seeded or % cup sliced
kumquats
Heat half of pineapple juice to boiling point.
Dissolve gelatin in it and add remaining juice.
Chill. When gelatin begins to congeal, add fruit.
Turn into molds, chill. Serve on lettuce with pine-
apple mayonnaise garnished with ripe surinam
cherries.
PAPAYA CITRUS SALAD
PINEAPPLE MAYONNAISE
11/2 teaspoon gelatin
cup pineapple juice or
syrup from canned
pineapple
1 tablespoon lemon or
lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar (if
desired)
Few grains of salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika (if
desired)
cup mayonnaise
% cup heavy cream
Soak gelatin in cold pineapple juice or syr
about 5 minutes. Dissolve over boiling water. A,
lemon juice, sugar, salt and paprika. Cool un
slightly thickened, beat into mayonnaise and fc
in stiffly beaten cream. Chill in a shallow pan, c
in cubes and serve with mixed fruit salads or wi
molded fruit salad. Yield: 1 cup.
DESSERTS
cup ripe papaya peeled
and cut in inch slices
cup grapefruit sections,
canned or fresh
cup orange sections
cup thinly sliced kum-
quats
small sweet pepper,
diced
3 young onions, cut fine
3 stalks celery, cut fine
% cup carrots, shredded
2 tablespoons or more
finely chopped parsley
Well seasoned, snappy
French dressing
Crisp lettuce, romaine or
endive
2 cups stewed, strained
papaya (canned pa-
paya may be used)
1 cup brown or granula-
ted sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
% teaspoon salt
% teaspoon ground gin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
% teaspoon allspice
2 cups rich milk
Blend all ingredients together gently and place
on the cold, crisp greens. Sprinkle with the
chopped parsley and serve with French dressing
and salad wafers or cheese straws.
PAPAYA SURPRISE A LA MIAMI
Bake 1 large or 2 small pastry shells in hot ove
about 8 minutes. Mix together papaya, sugf
eggs, salt and spices. Add milk gradually to ke
mixture smooth. Pour into partially baked past
shells and bake in moderate oven (3500F.) f
about 45 minutes or until firm.
1 ripe papaya, preferably
oblong in shape
% package lime, lemon or
orange gelatin
% cup small pineapple
chunks
% cup broken grapefruit
segments
1/ cup diced celery and
carrot
1 cup boiling water
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water and set aside to
cool and thicken but not to jell. Cut top from pa-
paya and scrape out seed. Peel. Add fruit and
diced celery and carrot to thickened jelly and pour
into papaya. Wrap in waxed paper. Place upright
in refrigerator until jelly is firm and thoroughly
chilled. Arrange lettuce, romaine or endive on
salad plates. Add papaya sliced about inchh thick
and serve with any preferred mayonnaise or a
snappy French dressing.
1 cup sugar
% teaspoon salt
teaspoon cinnamon
% teaspoon cloves
2 beaten eggs
1 cup rich milk
1 cups stewed papaya
put through sieve
cup coconut grated
TOPPING
cp coconut finely
grated
2 tablespoons honey
Mix first 8 ingredients in order given. Fill u
baked pastry shell and bake about 45 minut(
first with high heat and then with moderal
When nearly cooked, top with remaining cocom
drizzle on warmed honey and return to oven
brown delicately.
PAPAYA PIE
PAPAYA-COCONUT PIE
HISTORIC NOTE
The publications in this collection do
not reflect current scientific knowledge
or recommendations. These texts
represent the historic publishing
record of the Institute for Food and
Agricultural Sciences and should be
used only to trace the historic work of
the Institute and its staff. Current IFAS
research may be found on the
Electronic Data Information Source
(EDIS)
site maintained by the Florida
Cooperative Extension Service.
Copyright 2005, Board of Trustees, University
of Florida
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