Walk into any supermarket today and you’ll find the fruit section packed with all of your favourite citrus fruit.
Winter is on our doorstep which means all the winter fruits are out in abundance.
These include everyday essentials like apples, pears and all citrus fruit which includes oranges, lemons, grapefruit, naartjies and limes.
Oranges are also a good source of fibre, vitamins A, B and C as well as calcium and potassium.
The vitamin C in oranges helps to boosts your immune system, your body’s defence against germs.
Which makes it the perfect fruit to always have your fruit basket.
A sweet and tangy juicy orange is a treat on itself and who doesn’t love a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice with their breakfast.
But there’s much that you can do with oranges.
Here are a few recipes to try next time you have a surplus of these citrus treats.
Spicy orange salad
Ingredients
6 oranges
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Spice blend (see recipe for spice blend below)
1 mild red onion peeled and sliced
½ cup finely slivered fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
Salt
About 1/2 cup kalamata olives
Fresh mint leaves
Method
Cut, peel and remove white membrane from oranges. Slice the oranges and discard seeds.
In a small bowl, mix 4 tablespoons vinegar with olive oil and sugar. Stir in the spice blend.
In a wide, shallow bowl, gently mix orange slices, onions, slivered mint, and chopped cilantro. Pour in dressing and mix gently. Taste and add salt and more vinegar if desired.
Scatter olives, mint leaves, and cilantro leaves over the top. Spoon salad and dressing onto plates.
Spice blend: Combine 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika or mild ground dried chilli, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns or 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, 1/4 teaspoon curry powder, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon; if using whole spices, whirl mixture in a grinder or small food processor to a powder.
(Recipe by My Recipes)
Grilled orange chicken
Ingredients
1kg filleted chicken breasts
2 cup orange juice, pulp free
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. paprika
Add some heat with a dash of hot pepper sauce
Method
For the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, paprika, and hot pepper sauce.
Add chicken and toss to coat.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and marinate at least 4 hours up to overnight in the refrigerator.
To cook the chicken: Pre-heat the grill on medium-high heat. Add chicken and grill until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Discard the marinade.
Let chicken rest 5-7 minutes before serving.
Serves 4
(Recipe by Little Broken)
Sticky burnt orange self-saucing pudding
Ingredients
50g butter
200g caster sugar
2 oranges, zested
3 large, free-range eggs, separated
50g cake flour
1⁄3 cup milk
1⁄2 cup orange juice
3T marmalade
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cream the butter, caster sugar and orange zest until pale and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks, flour and milk to the butter-and-sugar mixture, mixing to combine.
Don’t be alarmed if the mixture appears lumpy or curdled.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Add a spoonful of the whites to the flour mixture and gently combine.
Gradually fold in the remaining egg whites, trying to keep as much air as possible.
Spoon into a greased 22 cm ovenproof dish.
Place the dish in a roasting tray and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dish.
Mix the orange juice with 1⁄2 cup boiling water, pour over the pudding and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until lightly golden and set.
During the last 5 minutes of baking time, mix the marmalade with 1⁄4 cup boiling water, spoon over the pudding and place under the grill until sticky.
Serve warm with chocolate ice cream and lightly grilled citrus
(Recipe by Hannah Lewry)
