Oranges

Chocolate and Oranges…

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It was during the winter of last year that I discovered a new farm shop was to open not far from here –  I was so excited because they would be selling citrus, and we didn’t have anything like it in the area.  I still remember my first visit to the King Fisher Citrus Farm Shop at Nambrok, and the enormous bag of oranges that I purchased – fresh orange juice for breakfast?  Over time I got to know Aimee and Lynton, hearing about their journey, sharing family memories, and also sharing my thoughts as to what I would create with their beautiful produce.

Pink Oranges

While I continually purchase produce for our small catering business (I just love starring their oranges in our soups, crumble tarts, friands, etc.), I am always excited to purchase something new to bring home and play with in the kitchen, creating new dishes for Gary and I to enjoy.

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Oranges 1 – A recap!

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The oranges are gone, well, with the exception of the few that have been set aside for our breakfast fruit over the next week or so. Overall things went really well, and we have some lovely goodies stashed in the store for future use. We’ve also enjoyed some orange flavoured meals as well.

That being said, the marmalade proved to be my nemisis. The first batch didn’t set and discoloured!  What to do… Add Cointreau to the mix, and lable it as Orange and Cointreau Syrup for use with desserts – I have to say it goes deliciously with date pudding !

So what was the problem?  More pectin you say? That’s what I thought, anyway. So I saved all the pips from the oranges and lemons used in all the other recipes – I had a lovely little pile of them by the time it come to revisit the marmalade. Neither Gary, nor I, could understand what happened to the first batch, it’s never happened before…

With everything prepared, I started again – it was looking beautiful, time to test for set, and again… it just wouldn’t set and turned dark. Fearing it would burn, I took it off the heat and bottled it. The next morning when I checked, it was syrup, nothing like the lovely jelly like consistency of marmalade. By this time I thought I knew what the problem was – while the pot I was using was big enough, it was tall and narrow, not wide and squat.

Not wanting to waste the fruit sugar and time and effort, this time we decided to try and cook it a little more. It just got darker, and again wouldn’t set. Finally, I had to bite the bullet and use commercial pectin (I have plans to make my own in future, but didn’t have time at this point). Set was reached, it doesn’t taste too bad, really, just sweeter than usual and it looks like treacle!  A new wider, shallower, preserving pan style, pot has now been ordered and is on its way. I am hoping that by using it, we will avoid any more marmalade dramas.

So what was cooked? You will have seen some of the goodies in previous posts, but here is the list in full…

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There is one more recipe brewing, but it is going to take another couple of weeks – Collette’s Vin D’Orange. I will put up a post about it when its ready, and let you know what it is like.

Finally given that Jan provided all the oranges for this little marathon, I thought it only propper that I share the recipe for this delicious dessert that she has shared with me – Spiced Oranges & Dates with Greek Yoghurt Cream.

Spiced Oranges & Dates with Greek Yoghurt Cream

This simple little dessert is the perfect way to finish a meal. It can be prepared ahead - adding the Yoghurt Cream and pistachios just before serving.

Ingredients

  • 6 large navel oranges
  • 6 fresh dates, pitted, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tbs pure icing sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 55 g (1/3 cup) pistachio kernels, coarsely chopped

For the Greek Yoghurt Cream

  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) Greek-style yoghurt
  • 125 g light cream cheese
  • 2 tbs honey
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthways
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) pouring cream
  • 1 tsp pure icing sugar

Directions

  1. To make the yoghurt cream, place the yoghurt, cream cheese and honey in a bowl. Use a small sharp knife to scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the bowl. Use an electric beater to beat until combined. Place the cream and icing sugar in a bowl. Use an electric beater to beat until soft peaks form. Fold into yoghurt mixture. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to chill.
  2. Cut top and base from each orange. Use a sharp knife to remove skin and white pith. Holding each orange over a bowl to catch any juice, cut along either side of the white membranes to remove orange segments.
  3. Combine orange, dates and mint in a bowl. Sprinkle with icing sugar and cinnamon. Toss to combine.
  4. Divide fruit among serving plates and serve with pistachios and yoghurt cream.
  5. Garnish with sprigs of mint.

Notes:

  • My sister Jan passed this recipe to me, she received it from her friend, Mandy, who found it in Australian Good Taste – September 2011, p.80 .
  • Allow 2 hours chilling time.

 

Until next time…

Bon appétit!

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Links:

Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange Sticks 

Nana Mac’s Potato and Orange Salad

Orange and Mint Jelly 

Orange Cordial

Spiced Oranges

Spiced Oranges & Dates with Greek Yoghurt Cream 

Sugar Coated Candied Orange Sticks 

Zingy Citrus Mocktail

Spiced Oranges

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Apparently oranges were preserved this way in days gone by, when citrus fruits were rare and expensive! They are said to pair beautifully with ham, pork and game, and I can’t wait to serve it with duck.  Unfortunately we have to wait a little while to taste them.

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Spiced Oranges

  • Servings: Makes 6 jars
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I think these look like sunshine in a jar...

Ingredients

  • 10 large thin-skinned oranges, washed well and cut into 5mm/1/4 inch slices
  • 600 ml white wine vinegar
  • 1 kg white sugar
  • 1 1/2 cinnamon sticks
  • 8 g whole cloves
  • 6 blades of mace

Directions

  1. Put the orange slices into a large pan and cover with cold water. Simmer gently, partially covered with a lid until the peel is tender – about an hour.
  2. Meanwhile, put all the other ingredients into a pan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.
  3. When the oranges slices are tender, drain them and place them, together with the syrup, into a bowl. Leave to stand overnight.
  4. The next day return the orange slices and the syrup to a clean pan and cook for 30-40 minutes until translucent.
  5. Pack oranges into warm sterilized jars and cover with syrup.
  6. Seal and lable.
  7. Store in a cool dark place for six to eight weeks before eating.

Notes:

  • Adapted from Good Old-fashioned Jams, Preserves and Chutneys (1985) S. Paston-Williams p58.
  • Mace is an aromatic golden brown spice obtained from the dried net-like sheath that covers the Nutmeg seed, It is yellowish to reddish-tan in color, made up of flat, shiny branched pieces with a fragrant, nutmeg aroma and warm taste. It looks wonderful when left whole in your spiced syrup.
  • Keep any excess syrup for topping up the jars, as the oranges tend to absorb the syrup.
  • The flavour is said to be even better if left for several more months.

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Source: Spiced Oranges

Links:

Glossary – Mace

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Nana Mac’s Potato and Orange Salad

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My mum has been telling me about Nana’s potato salad for the last few months, and with the oranges on hand, I called and got the recipe… It was boiled potatoes, diced; orange, diced; white salad onion, finely diced; and the dressing was the only dressing I knew when I was growing up – cream, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Of course there were no quantities given.  Mum and I chatted a little and I told her I planned to change the dressing, add fresh herbs and use some different potatoes – she wants me to let her know how it went.

A delicious, refreshing salad of potatoes, oranges and fresh herbs.

Nana Mac's Potato and Orange Salad

This recipe was inspired by my grandmother's recipe for potato salad.

Ingredients

  • 250 g Purple Avon potatoes (or similar)
  • 250 g Sebago potatoes (or similar)
  • 4 oranges
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped mint
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped chives
  • 2 handfulls of baby rocket

For the dressing

  • 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • sugar, to taste
  • salt and pepper

For Serving

  • 1 tsp finely chopped mint
  • 1 tsp finely chopped chives

Directions

  1. Peel the potatoes and place into a saucepan. Cover with cold water and add a little salt. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until just tender.
  2. Meanwhile cut top and base from each orange. Use a sharp knife to remove skin and white pith. Holding each orange over a bowl to catch any juice, cut along either side of the white membranes to remove orange segments and set aside. Using your hands, squeeze the off-cuts of the orange over the bowl to get as much juice as you can from them, discard the off-cuts.
  3. Prepare the dressing by adding the mustard, white wine vinegar and 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the juice and then whisk to combine, season with salt and pepper and add a little sugar if needed.
  4. When the potatoes are cooked, drain them and cut them into wedges, while they are still hot. Add the potatoes, mint, chives and oranges to the dressing and, using your hands, gently toss to ensure the potatoes and oranges are well coated in the dressing and herbs. Set in the fridge to cool.
  5. Just before serving, drain any excess dressing from the salad into a small bowl, add the remaining tablespoon of olive and whisk together. Add the rocket and toss to coat with the dressing.
  6. Place half the rocket into the base of a serving dish.
  7. Add the remaining rocket to the salad, and, again, using your hands, gently toss through.
  8. Arrange the salad on top of the rocket in the serving dish and scatter with the finely chopped mint and chives.

Notes:

  • Purple Avon potatoes are a purple fleshed potato.

Until next time…

Bon appétit!

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Source: Nana Mac’s Potato and Orange Salad

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Candied Orange Sticks

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Because we don’t like too much peel in our marmalade, I had a lot of orange peel left over! Not wanting to waste any of it, this is what we ended up with…

Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange Sticks

These little morsels of orange deliciousness can be made from the unused peel of oranges that you have juiced!

Sugar coated candied orange sticks -1

Sugar-Coated Candied Orange Sticks

Candied Orange Sticks

  • Servings: Makes a small jar full - if they last long enough for you to put them in the jar, that is
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I had a lot of peel left from making orange marmalade, not wanting to waste it, I had a thought that it could be made into candied chocolate orange sticks. When finished, I was told that I hadn't made nearly enough!!

Ingredients

  • 4 oranges
  • Sugar
  • Caster Sugar
  • 50 g good quality, 70% cocoa dark chocolate

Directions

  1. Wash the oranges.
  2. Score the peel of the oranges into quarters with a sharp knife. Put all of the oranges in large basin and cover them with boiling water. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then drain and peel away the skins. Using this method, both the outer peel and the inner white pith will come away from the fruit.
  3. Put the peel into a saucepan and cover with water.
  4. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook for an hour.
  5. Drain the peel and gently scrape out the soft pulp from inside the peel.
  6. Slice the peel into strips .5cm/1/4 inch wide.
  7. Weigh the peel, and then the same weight of sugar.
  8. Put the peel and the sugar into a small pan – the peel and sugar need to be quite snug in the pan.
  9. Add just enough water to cover the peel and then bring to the boil. Immediately reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer and cook until the peel is translucent and has absorbed almost all of the syrup.
  10. Remove the peel from the pan and spread it on a tray lined with baking paper. (If the peel tends to curl, carefully straighten them, place another sheet of baking paper on top and weight down with another tray overnight.)
  11. Leave at room temperature for at least 24 hours to dry out.
  12. Place a little caster sugar into a dish and then, adding a few strips of peel at a time, throughly coat each piece with the caster sugar.
  13. Alternatively, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler, and coat half of each orange stick with the chocolate and then lay on a tray lined with a new piece of baking paper. Place in the fridge to set.

Notes:

  • Adapted from a recipe in The Preserving Book, (2010)  L Brown, p156
  • Try using other citrus, lemons, limes, grapefruit…

Until next time…

Bon appétit!

Source: Candied Orange Sticks

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