Getting Creative With Citrus

By MiNDFOOD

Getting Creative With Citrus
Preserve the distinctive flavours of lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit so you can enjoy them all winter

Getting Creative With Citrus is a great way to extend the season, marmalade on toast, Dark Chocolate Dipped Candied Oranges and Lemons are a tasty after dinner treat and Citrus Salts add a pop of flavour to fish, vegetables or homemade caramels. Citrus fruits are a large and diverse group of plants in the rue family. They have many health, nutrition, and flavour benefits, and vary in shape, color, and size.

Getting Creative With Citrus is easy with these 3 quick ideas

Quick Whiskey Mixed Citrus Marmalade

Place 3 grapefruit, 3 oranges and 2 lemons, skin and all, into a food processor and whiz until pureed. Place pulp in freezer bags or plastic containers and freeze overnight or until ready to prepare.

Place pulp in a deep heavy-based saucepan or preserving pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and boil briskly for 1 hour.

For every 1 cup of pulp add 1 cup sugar. Add the sugar then boil for a further 20 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of whiskey at the end of cooking.

Remove from heat and store in sterilised glass jars with lids.

Dark Chocolate Dipped Candied Oranges and Lemons

Makes 25-30 candied slices

Scrub 6 oranges or lemons to remove dirt and wax coating. Using a sharp knife, slice the citrus crosswise into 5mm-thick slices. Combine 1 cup white sugar, with ¼ cup corn syrup and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer for about 4 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Add the oranges or lemons and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently on a very low heat for about 60 minutes, carefully turning the citrus several times to coat, until very tender and translucent.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove pan from heat and let the citrus sit in the syrup for about 10 minutes. Carefully remove fruit from the syrup with a slotted spoon and transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Reserve syrup for another use.

Place citrus in the oven 
for about 1 hour. Transfer oranges to a wired rack and let rest for about 24 hours until mostly dried.

In a double boiler or microwave, melt 150g good-quality dark chocolate. Dip the slices halfway into the chocolate. Allow any excess to drip off the fruit. Allow the candy to harden on baking paper in the refrigerator.

Candied citrus will keep for several weeks in an airtight container, stored in a cool dry place or in the refrigerator.

Citrus Salts

Start with sea salt, about 1 cup. The coarser the salt the better. Take about 1 tbsp of finely grated zest from either lime, orange, lemon or Buddha-hand citron. In a spice grinder or small food processor, blitz the salt with the rind.

Spread out on a baking tray lined with silicon paper and allow to dry for 3-4 hours.

Place in bottle with cap. Use within 2-3 months, otherwise flavours will degrade.

 

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