5 ways … to use oranges this winter
The wonderful thing about oranges is their bright colour – a balm for our grey winter days. Bring some cheer into your house and some vitamin C into your body with these five ideas to use oranges every day.
1. Juice them
Whether you use an old-fashioned hand juicer or an electric juice extractor, there’s nothing more delicious than freshly squeezed orange juice. Packing a vitamin C and fibre boost it’s a healthy way to start your day.
2. Use orange juice as a marinade
Orange juice makes an excellent marinade. Its acid content tenderises meat and gives a tangy, sweet flavour well-suited to chicken, duck or pork. Try this easy marinade for chicken thighs or breasts. Mix together:
· 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
· ½ cup soy sauce
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· ½ onion, thinly sliced
· 2 garlic cloves, crushed
· 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
· ½ tablespoon dried oregano
Marinate for at least four hours or overnight.
3. Make a classic
Oranges star in a few well known, classic dishes. They are classics for a reason and will never go out of style. Google any of these and you will have a multitude of recipes to choose from. Duck a l’orange, orange almond syrup cake, orange marmalade, mimosas, and gremolata, the classic Italian garnish for osso bucco, are examples that spring to mind. Or go with a classic pairing – oranges match well with chocolate, brandy, whisky, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, ham, pork, fennel, red onions, chicken, duck and trout.
4. Put them in a salad or salsa
Oranges are a zesty addition to salads, especially middle-eastern inspired ones such as Yotam Ottolenghi’s fennel, orange, red onion and herb salad. They also go well chopped up finely with dates, red onions and coriander and tossed through cous cous. Of course, they can star in fruit salads, and make a brilliant salsa to go over fish – just toss together finely chopped orange, lime, avocado, red onion and coriander.
5. Just peel them and eat them!
Oranges can be messy so we sometimes don’t allow ourselves the pleasure of simply peeling them and eating them. Indulge in this (perhaps while standing over the kitchen sink!) and we assure you will be transported to sunnier climes.
