An ode to blood oranges

 

I love blood oranges and I look forward to their appearance during the last weeks of winter and early spring. The Red Belly Citrus brand have massive orchards in Griffith NSW; their beautiful fruit is shipped all over Australia and internationally. The fruit they produce is compact with deep colour and their flavour is like orange combined with crushed raspberries. The season is short, so make the most of these gorgeous oranges. You can candy the skin and store as a garnish for cakes and fancy drinks. Use the flesh to juice and then reduce to the most divinely crimson syrup (for pancakes, French toast, cakes and ice cream). The good news? Blood oranges are still available on supermarket shelves as I write (November/December), so here are some recipe ideas to spark your interest…

 

Blood Orange and Campari Panna Cotta

Ingredients

• 300ml cream
• 100g sugar
• 60ml blood orange juice
• 40ml Campari
• 3 gold strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water

Method

1. Heat the cream and sugar in a small pan, (stirring to help dissolve sugar), until it comes to the boil. Remove from heat and add the juice and Campari. Lastly, add the softened gelatine (excess water should be discarded first). Stir to ensure the gelatine has been evenly distributed.
2. Pour into four half-cup moulds and refrigerate over night.

Chocolate and Olive Oil Shortbread

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups flour
• 3/4 cup pure icing sugar
• 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp cooking salt
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Sea salt flakes for sprinkling

Method

1. Spray and paper line a 22cm square baking pan. Set oven to 180C.
2. Sift flour, icing sugar, cocoa into a bowl.
3. Add the brown sugar and salt and mix to distribute evenly.
4. Pour in the oil and vanilla and combine.
5. Press into pan firmly and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes, cut into fingers and bake again for 10 minutes.

Vanilla Roasted Blood Orange Slices

Ingredients

• 4 blood oranges – peeled and sliced
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped

Method

1. Paper line a baking tray and set oven 170C.
2. Lay the slices in rows and sprinkle liberally with caster sugar and scatter vanilla seeds over the oranges.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the juice around the fruit looks syrupy.
4. Serve on buttermilk pancakes with a dollop of coconut yoghurt.