10 great ways to use an orange
Juicy oranges have all the scent and flavour of the season, and can be used in both sweet and savoury recipes. Here are 10 ideas to get your juices flowing…
- Flavour sponge cakes
Add orange zest to your favourite plain sponge cake mix and bake as normal. Flavour your butter icing with orange juice, or simply fill the cake with whipped cream, drizzle with orange juice and sprinkle with caster sugar.
- Stuff a chicken or turkey
Halve an orange and place in the cavity of a chicken before roasting as normal to add a zesty orange flavour to the meat. Add orange juice and zest to stuffing for an extra orange tang.
- Make an Oriental sauce
Mix the juice of one orange with a splash of soy sauce, finely chopped garlic and freshly grated ginger. Bring to the boil in a small saucepan and simmer for a couple of minutes before pouring over a cooked, sliced duck or chicken breasts, or cooked fish.
- Prepare easy orange pancakes
Gently heat 25g / 1oz butter and 50g / 2oz caster sugar in a frying pan until melted and golden. Stir in the juice of two oranges to make a smooth sauce. Add readymade pancakes and fold into triangles. Head through and serve.
- Have a fruity starter
Add orange segments to a bowl of salad leaves and a handful of chopped walnuts. Make a dressing with juice of 1/2 an orange and twice the amount of olive oil. Season and stir in one tbsp of torn basil or mint leaves. Serve with grilled goat’s cheese.
- Caramelise orange slices
Peel and slice two oranges. Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan, then add oranges and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in a handful of chopped pistachio nuts, a sprinkle of ground ginger or cinnamon, and 3-4 tbsp of maple syrup or honey. Bubble for another minute and serve on a plate with a good dusting of icing sugar.
- Make a sauce for pork
In a small pan, melt a knob of butter. Fry a clove of chopped garlic, then stir in 1 tbsp flour. Whisk in 300ml / 1/2 pint of hot stock and stir until it thickens. Add the juice and finely grated zest of one orange and a slug of port. Bring to the boil, season and serve over pork.
- Enjoy chocolate and orange pots
Melt a 100g bar of chocolate (placed in a bowl) in microwave. Sir in the juice of one orange and 125g marscapone until well combined. Divide between glasses and chill until ready to serve.
- Make your own orange curd
Mix juice and zest of two oranges and one lemon (about 150ml / 1/4 pint of liquid) with 225g / 8oz caster sugar, 112g / 4oz cubed butter and three large egg yolks in a bowl over simmering water, stirring until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Then cook for about 35- 40 mins until the curd has thickened. Strain through a sieve, cool and pour into a sterilised jar. (Will keep in a cool place for up to a month.)
- Bake an orange
Peel and remove pith from an orange, leaving it whole. Sit the orange on a large square of tin foil, then add a knob of butter a springle of brown sugar and a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon. Wrap the foil around the orange, put on a baking sheet and cook at 200o (fan oven 190o) / gas mark 6 for 20 minutes until softened. Serve hot with a dollop of creme fraiche.
