10 ways to enjoy oranges this winter

When buying and choosing oranges, keep in mind that at least half a dozen varieties are grown in Chile. However, beyond the different names and other entanglements, it is good to know that there are table oranges and others for juice. The former are used more for eating directly and the latter, as the name suggests, for making juice.

In general, at fairs and supermarkets, they are grouped under the same classification, although there are some table varieties, such as the Thompson, which is often presented with its own name. Either way, it’s good to be clear about what you want to do in the kitchen before buying the oranges. Because if the table orange can possibly also be used to make juice -even if it will be less profitable-, the so-called juice is too acidic, semi-sweet and -of course- juicy to be eaten directly.

A secret to distinguish them? The larger and thicker the skin of the oranges, the more likely they are table oranges. Here are ten ways to take advantage of it.

It’s true, the most classic recipe is duck à l’orange, but getting this meat is neither easy nor cheap, so I better leave you with a simpler recipe: chicken à l’orange .

Orange Chicken (for four people)

—1 whole chicken

-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

—1 onion, peeled and sliced

—1 green bell pepper, cleaned and cut into strips

—1 carrot, cut into sticks

—4 oranges

—1 glass of white wine

—Salt, pepper and olive oil

-cornstarch

Turn on the oven at medium power (about 180º). In a bowl, place the chopped vegetables as a base and the whole chicken on top. Inside, add two of the split oranges. Season everything with salt and pepper to taste, plus a touch of olive oil, then bathe it in white wine and the juice of an orange.

Bake the chicken for about forty minutes or until browned and cooked through. Take it out, strain all the juice that has accumulated in the source of the oven and transfer it to a saucepan, while letting the chicken rest covered with aluminum foil. In the pan, add a little cornstarch so that the juice thickens and becomes a sauce. When ready, chop the chicken and bathe it with it. Decorate with the quarters of the fourth orange and serve immediately.

Contains only freshly squeezed orange juice. That is to say, no water or sugar is added and it is also not filtered. To do this, all you need are good oranges and a good juicer. Nothing else? Yes, you have to drink it quickly before it settles and everything goes to the bottom of the glass. Needless to say, the result is superior to any ready-to-use juice that can be purchased commercially.

Orange peel zest can be used in almost anything: mixed with pepper to season a baked chicken, to give a citrus touch to a pasta, to decorate a salad or give a different touch and texture to a fillet of fish. So, add and continue.

Getting it is very simple: all you need is a well-washed orange and a reliable grater. As always, it is better to grate only what you will need at the moment and nothing more, because the essential oils of the bark evaporate very quickly and without them the grating is not worthwhile, moreover as it becomes hard.

Although we are used to eating fish with a few drops of lemon juice when serving it, the truth is that oranges go just as well with seafood. Evil as evil is also a citrus fruit, so its characteristic acid touch — although sweeter than lemon — is very good for fish, especially those with white meat.

Grilled southern hake with oranges (for four people)

—4 hake fillets

—2 oranges

—1/2 glass of white wine

—Salt, pepper, chives and olive oil

Salt and pepper the hake fillets on both sides then cook them in a pan with a little olive oil, about four minutes on each side. Then add the white wine and orange juice and cook for a few minutes, until the alcohol evaporates. Finally, cut an orange into slices and add them to the pan. Once they are tempered, serve the fillets bathed in the sauce that has formed and garnish with the sautéed orange slices and a little freshly chopped chives.

If you have leftover oranges, these can also be used for making cakes to enjoy at home or for the kids to take to school as a snack. They are prepared practically the same way as the traditional ones, only with a slight orange flavor and an obviously orange tone.

Orange cupcakes (for twelve units)

—3 cups whole wheat flour

—¼ cup marigold oil

-4 eggs

—3 teaspoons baking powder

—1 cup of milk

—½ cup of honey

—¼ cup orange juice

—zest of ½ orange

Turn on the oven at medium temperature (180º). In a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients, add them in the same order as they appear on the list. Using an electric mixer, stir very well each time a new ingredient is added, so that in the end we have a very homogeneous mixture.

Then beat until the mixture is smooth, moist and lump-free. Next, lay out a tray of twelve individual molds with marigold oil – and using a small brush – and pour the prepared mixture into them. Finally, bake for about 35 or 40 minutes, or until the cakes are well cooked. This can be checked by sticking a toothpick in the dough: if the toothpick comes out completely clean, without the dough sticking to it, the cake is ready. Wait for it to cool and unmold. To store them, wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in a cool, dry place where they can keep for several days.

The orange can also go in a salad, and the truth is that it is very good. As for example, in the recipe below, where it accompanies some winter beets.

Beet salad with goat cheese and orange segments (for four people)

—4 beets

—100 grams of goat cheese

—1 orange

—Salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Turn on the oven at medium intensity (180º). Peel the beets and put them in a bowl with salt, pepper and olive oil. Cover them with aluminum foil and cook for about 30 minutes. Then take them out and let them cool. Finally, cut the beets into thin slices and arrange them on a plate. Garnish with small pieces of goat cheese and orange wedges. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.

For those of us over the age of forty, we most likely associate orange vodka with a drink that came in very inexpensive bottles of dubious origin that were once sold in some liquor stores. Its contents were really bad—even worse, its hangovers—and they gave a terrible reputation to this preparation, which is very good.

How to prepare an orange vodka? Very easy. Three ice cubes are placed in a long glass, vodka is added in the desired amount, then the filling is finished with freshly squeezed orange juice. Stir a little and that’s it. nothing to do with those old bottles from the 90s !

This is another salad in which you can enjoy the abundance of two very winter products: oranges and radicchio. As this leaf is bitter, mixed with the sweetness of the fruit it works very well.

Endive salad with oranges and walnuts (for 4 people)

—1 small radicchio

—2 oranges

—1 cup walnuts

—Salt, pepper and olive oil

Disarm the chicory, wash it well and let it dry. Then cut it into small bite-size pieces (by hand) and put it in a bowl. Add walnuts and a quartered orange. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil and the juice of the other orange. Stir well and serve.

We know that pork, with a few sweet touches, always looks good. That being said, why not cook it with a little orange? Here is a simple and rich example.

Pork tenderloin with orange and sage (for four people)

—800 grams of pork tenderloin

—2 oranges

—Salt, pepper, sage and olive oil

In a bowl, put the pieces of sirloin and season with salt, pepper, sage, a dash of olive oil, the juice of an orange and a little grated skin. Mix well so that the dressings soak up the meat and leave to marinate at room temperature for two hours.

Turn on the oven at medium intensity (200º). Dump the entire contents of the bowl into a bowl and bake for half an hour or until the sirloins are cooked through. Leave to rest for a few minutes then serve cut into thin slices.

And even if it seems obvious, as a good fruit, the orange is also an excellent dessert. And if we want to do something fun, especially for children, nothing better than chopping pieces of orange, kiwi and banana and then sticking them on skewers that we will bathe in orange juice. Very easy and above all very rich.

*Prices for products in this item are current as of July 26, 2022. Values ​​and availability may change.