We have quite a few Orange Trees in our garden and when we first moved in 5 years ago, we were so excited. We rushed out and bought a juicer and proceeded to make freshly Squeezed Orange Juice until it came out of our ears.
Of course the novelty soon wore off and we resorted back to bought Orange Juice very quickly as it was so time consuming, not to mention messy. However, I still can’t get over the thrill of walking out of my back door and picking an orange fresh from the trees for my breakfast. Of course I have collected a few recipes over the years and here are just a few of my favourites. My grandchildren love the Orange Jelly and the oranges in the carrot soup gives it another flavour.
Buen Apetito
Orange and Carrot Soup
Olive oil spray
Onion chopped
1litre chicken/vegetable stock
1 orange
1kg carrot peeled and grated
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Spray with oil. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add carrot and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until just soft. Add stock. Bring to boil. Peel 2 strips of rind from the orange. Add to pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes or until carrot is tender. Remove and discard orange rind. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Use a blender to puree until smooth. Juice orange. Add to soup. Place over medium heat and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through. Top with parsley.
Orange Jelly
4 oranges
1 pkt of orange jelly
Make up orange jelly according to the packet instructions. Set aside for 20 minutes to cool. Slice oranges in half and scoop out the flesh, using a small knife or spoon. Fill the orange cavities with cooled jelly. Place the orange halves, upright, on a tray. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set.
Orange and Beetroot Salad
2 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tblsp orange juice
1 baby cos lettuce
1 large orange peeled and chopped
450g baby beetroot
1 small carrot
Chopped walnuts
Place olive oil and orange juice in a screw-top jar. Season with salt and pepper. Secure lid. Shake to combine. Remove outer leaves and core from lettuce. Separate leaves. Wash and pat dry with a tea towel. Roughly chop. Place lettuce, orange, beetroot, carrot, walnuts and parsley in a bowl. Add dressing. Toss to combine. Serve.
Orange and Poppy Cake
½ cup of fresh orange juice
½ a pot of natural yoghurt
60g poppy seed
250g butter
270g caster sugar
2 tsp finely grated orange rind
4 eggs
340gm plain flour
1 orange
150g icing sugar
2½ tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a 25cm (top measurement) pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Combine the orange juice, yoghurt and poppy seeds in a small bowl. Use an electric beater to beat the butter, caster sugar and orange rind in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until just combined. Sift the flour and baking powder over the egg mixture. Add the yoghurt mixture and use a large metal spoon to fold until just combined. Spoon mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Use a zester to remove the rind from the orange. (Alternatively, use a vegetable peeler to peel rind from the orange. Use a small sharp knife to remove white pith from the rind. Cut rind into thin strips.) Combine the icing sugar and extra orange juice in a bowl until smooth. Pour over the cake and sprinkle with the orange rind. Set aside for 20 minutes or until the icing is set.
Sticky Chicken Drum sticks
3 cup orange marmalade
2 tsp mustard
¼ cup of chicken stock
Garlic clove crushed
8 chicken drum sticks
Olive Oil to spray
Place marmalade, mustard, stock and garlic in a large ceramic dish. Stir to combine. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight, if time permits, turning once. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Spray a wire rack with oil and place over tray. Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Place drumsticks on rack. Roast, brushing occasionally with marinade, for 25 to 30 minutes or until juices run clear when thickest part is pierced with a skewer.