Monday, September 3, 2012

Key Seasonal Ingredient: Blood Oranges ? Sammy & Bella: Chefs ...

WHY WE LOVE THEM: Because we all want what we can?t have! They were originally only available to royalty in Europe, but now all Australians can enjoy them? but the season is super short, which makes them a rare treat. The flesh has a rich and sour orange flavour with slight raspberry and cherry notes, making it a delicious ingredient in your favourite dessert, salad or cocktail. The colour of the flesh ranges from amber to deep red, depending on the variety and climate it?s grown in. The cooler the weather, the darker the flesh. They originated in in Asia but became world famous when they were cultivated by the Sicilians (they now have a protected geographical status).

IN SEASON: ?for a very short period, from August to October, so make use of them while you can!

CHECK IT?S FRESH: ?It should feel heavy for its size, and have a firm unblemished skin.? The skin can vary in shades of orange depending on the variety and growing conditions, just make sure that it?s not ?green?. Oranges do not ripen further once picked so green skin is a definite no-no.

VARIETIES: ?Moro is the original Italian variety, which is very dark in colour and can be quite sour. The most revered variety is the Tarocco which has a more amber rather than red coloured flesh but is incredibly sweet and fragrant? Plus it has the highest vitamin C content out of any orange variety in the world. Some newer varieties are also available, such as cara cara, a red-pigmented navel orange which has a sweet flavour.

LOCALLY GROWN: There are only a few local growers, mostly in South Australia because of the hot arid climate and cool nights whch bring out the best flavours.

COOKING AND PREP METHODS: The skin is delicious grated, candied or used to infuse a liquid ? just make sure you avoid the bitter white pith. Juicing the orange really shows off the incredible colour, but it can be a bit sour so it?s a good idea to mix it with 1 or 2 parts orange juice from a sweeter variety.? To segment the orange, slice off the base and top so it sits flat on your chopping board. Using a serrated knife, cut off vertical strips of skin from the orange, ensuring you remove all pith. Next, while holding the whole orange in your left hand, carefully cut out each segment and set aside. Squeeze the remaining orange flesh to extract as much juice as possible, as it?s delicious acidic substitute for lemon juice in salad dressings.

STORE IT: for up to 1 month in the fridge.

NOURISHES: They are full of vitamin c, folic acid, calcium, vitamin A, antioxidants and lots of dietary fibre.

CLASSIC FLAVOUR PAIRINGS: ?chocolate, fennel, asparagus, avocado, crab, black olives, walnuts, goats feta, extra virgin olive oil, tuna, almonds, cardamom, cinnamon, honey, ginger, cloves, mint, beetroot, peppery greens such as watercress

3 WAYS WITH BLOOD ORANGE:

  • duck terrine with a layer of blood orange and sherry jelly
  • blood orange, fennel and goats cheese salad
  • freshly juiced and laced with Campari for a refreshing drink

BUY IT: ?at green grocers and farmers markets across Australia

DID YOU KNOW? The dark red colour comes from the anthocyanins which have anti inflammatory properties and assist in collagen reproduction, making blood oranges an anti-ageing superfood!

Source: http://www.sammyandbella.com/?p=1331

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