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© 2001-2012
copyright Spruce.ca
all rights reserved
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History
Oranges originate from South East Asia, but are now available
in most warmer climates, with the United States being the
major producer of oranges in the world.
Oranges were not named for their color. The word orange
comes from the Sanskrit naranga which means "fragrant".
Season
Depending on the variety, oranges are available all year long,
with a peak season during the winter months.
Varieties
There are three main varieties of oranges: sweet, loose-skinned
and bitter.
Sweet: these oranges
are for eating and juicing. They may have seeds or they may not.
They are usually hard to peel. The three most popular sweet oranges
are navel, Valencia and blood oranges.
Loose-skinned: these
tend to be a part of the mandarin orange family.
They can be sweet or even tart!
Bitter: these oranges
are too bitter to eat raw. They need to be cooked to be palatable,
for example, orange marmalade or bigarade sauce. Bitter oranges
are also used to make essential oils and to
make candied peel. Two types of oranges to look for when needing
a bitter orange are Seville and bergamot.
Storage
Oranges can safely be stored on the countertop for 2 – 3
days, but keep longer in the refrigerator, up to 14 days.
How to Select
Select an orange that is heavy for its size and shows no signs
of bruising, or has any shriveled or moldy skin. If possible,
pick a brilliant colored orange.
Nutritional Qualities
Oranges have been touted to have extremely high Vitamin C, which
helps maintain a healthy immune system. They are also have high
fiber and no fat, which means you will be able to lose those
extra holiday pounds easier! Oranges also have a fair amount
of Folic Acid, Calcium, Potassium and Thiamine! So, not only
are oranges good for anyone to eat, but they are particularly
healthy for expectant mothers.
Once cut or squeezed, the Vitamin C quickly disappears. After
only 8 hours at room temperature (or 24 hours in the refrigerator),
approximately 25% of the Vitamin C is lost. Thus, canned or bottled
orange juice products tend to have lower Vitamin C content unless
they are fortified!
Wine Pairings
Depending on how you prepare your oranges and to what you are
going to serve your orange-based recipe with, try one of these
wines:
Chardonnay, Fume Blanc, Grenache Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel
or a Syrah.
Spices
Oranges are unique in the fact that if you are making a sweet
dish, you can use spices like: cinnamon and nutmeg with it. But
oranges, also, go well with garlic, basil and thyme in savory
dishes!
Equivalencies
1 medium orange = 1/3 – 1/2 cup juice = 2 – 3 tbsp.
peel = 3/4 cup diced flesh
Preparation
Segment: Peel the
entire fruit first. Then, holding the fruit in one hand, cut
alongside each side of the membranes. Try to leave as little
of the flesh as possible. As you continue around the fruit,
continue to cut between the membranes and the segments, folding
the membranes back like you were reading a book.
Zesting: Rub the skin
on a grater. Use a brush to remove the zest from the grater.
Be careful not to get too much pith (white substance between
the peel and the flesh) as this is very bitter.
Julienne: Using a
vegetable peeler, peel the zest off of the orange going lengthwise.
Then using a sharp knife, cut these strips into very thin strips
lengthwise.
Juicing: Before juicing
any citrus fruit, roll the fruit on the counter. This will soften
the insides and release more juices. Then, cut the fruit in half.
Using a wooden juicer (or a fork), push it into the flesh and
twist it around until all the juice has been released.
Peeling: Cut a slice
of peel from each end of the orange. Standing the fruit upright,
continue to slice the peel away from the flesh without removing
too much flesh.
Trivia
In China, orange peels are used to aid in digestion. They
believe that citrus fruits are warming, thus very stimulating
on the digestive tract.
In Medieval times, oranges and orange blossoms were used on a
couple's wedding day. It was believed that the scent of oranges
was calming to the couple on their wedding night. They were also
thought
to be a symbol of fertility.
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| Recipes
Basic
Orange Sauce
by Jennifer
A. Wickes
Ingredients:
2 cups orange juice
1 crushed garlic clove
3/4 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup water
Directions:
Bring the orange juice, garlic mustard,
salt and ginger to a boil in
a saucepan.
Mix the cornstarch with a 1/4 cup of
water, then add to the orange
juice mixture. Add the rest of the
water and bring to a boil.
Serve with duck!
Yields: 1 serving
Oranges
With Sweet Basil Zabaglione
by Jennifer
A. Wickes
Ingredients:
8 lg navel oranges
2 egg yolks
5 basil sprigs
2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup basil leaves – packed
1/4 cup dry white wine
Directions:
Using a vegetable peeler, remove a
strip of zest from one of the
oranges and chop enough to measure
1/4 tsp. Using a knife, peel skin
and pith from oranges and cut in between
the membranes to remove the
sections. Using hands, lightly crush
the basil sprigs and toss in a
large bowl with the orange sections.
Cover and chill 2-6 hours. Mince
the 1/2 cup basil. In a medium bowl
combine the egg yolks, sugar,
wine and reserved orange zest. Place
over a saucepan of simmering
water and whisk until the zabaglione
is frothy, thick, and doubled in
volume, about 5 minutes. Stir in the
minced basil. Drain the orange
sections and remove basil sprigs. Divide
among 4 dessert dishes and
spoon a heaping tablespoon of zabaglione
over each one.
Yields: 4 servings
Orange French
Toast
by Jennifer
A. Wickes
Ingredients:
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. Grand Marnier
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
8 1-inch-thick slices of French bread
Garnish:
Unsalted butter
Maple syrup
Powdered sugar
Four cooked sausage links
Directions:
In a shallow bowl beat together eggs,
Grand Marnier, milk, orange
peel, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Dip bread into egg mixture,
coating both sides. (Soak for 30 seconds
on each side). In a skillet
melt 1 tablespoon butter and cook the
bread on both sides over medium
heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or
until golden. Serve with butter,
syrup, powdered sugar and sausage.
Yields: 4 servings
Seville
Orange Marmalade
by Jennifer
A. Wickes
Ingredients:
4 lbs. Seville oranges
1 lemon
4 lbs. sugar
10 c. water
Directions:
Wash fruit, cut into pieces and remove
seeds and set aside.
Place cut fruit in a blender until
half full.
Cover with water from measured amount
and switch to maximum speed for
30 seconds.
Put all fruit and remaining water into
preserving pan, together with
seeds tied in a muslin bag.
Bring to a boil and simmer about 1½ hours,
until tender. Remove seeds.
Add the sugar, stir well until dissolved.
Boil rapidly till setting
point is reached.
Remove from heat, leave to cool slightly
before putting into hot
sterilized jars.
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This
article was originally published at Suite 101.
Jennifer Wickes is the editor at "Cooking With The
Seasons". This
site was voted to be one of the Top 100 Culinary Sites
on the
Internet! To visit her site, go to:
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/cooking_with_the_seasons
Or visit her at Suite 101's Food and Drink Community:
http://www.suite101.com/foodcenter/
Or you can join her Yahoo! Based group, Seasonal Cooking:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SeasonalCooking/
Or contact her directly at: culinaryjen@yahoo.com |
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