Kumquat Meringue Pie

Rinse kumquats. Thinly slice 6 fruit, discarding seeds; set sliced fruit aside. Cut the rest of the fruit in half and squeeze (pinch between fingers) to extract juice. Pour juice through a fine strainer to measure; you should have 1/2 cup (if not, squeeze more kumquat halves). Discard seeds. In a 2- to 3-quart pan, whisk 1 1/4 cups of the sugar with cornstarch to mix. Gradually whisk in kumquat juice and water, blending until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks to blend, then whisk into yolks about 1/2 cup of the hot filling. Pour yolk mixture back into pan. Cook, stirring, over very low heat for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sliced kumquats and butter; let cool slightly; then pour into pastry shell. Beat whites at high speed in large bowl with electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time (1/4 cup is 4 tablespoons), beating until whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks. Beat in vanilla. Pile meringue onto filling. With a spatula, push meringue over filling and up against edge of pastry shell; use spatula to make decorative swirls in meringue. Bake at 375 degrees F until meringue is tinged with gold, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool at least 3 or up to 12 hours. Makes 8 or 9 servings. (credited to Nathan C. Smith, Pomona CA)