SOLD ON CITRUS

The taste and tang of fruit and peel can easily be stored for the summer

This is the season of citrus at its zingy best. Oranges, lemons, mandarins and grapefruit are versatile, tasty and low in kilojoules. New Zealand-grown navel oranges are a one of my faves: luscious, juicy and more-ish. Segments add pizzazz to winter salads. Combine them in a bowl with crunchy greens, super grains or winter fruit combos for eyecatching colour and fabulous flavour. The juice makes a wonderful low-cal dressing.

If you’re a gin drinker or if you enjoy lemon-flavoured water, chop your lemons into 2cm-3cm pieces, place them on a tray and freeze. Once solid, tip them into an airtight container and return to the freezer. These bites are just the thing to add to your summer coolers.

Finely grated peel — or zest — can also be frozen for bakes, garnishes or salads. Place in an airtight container and freeze. Then crumble it with your fingers to prevent it from sticking together too firmly. Re-freeze.

Citrus will keep at room temperature for some time. For longer storage, place in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Many citrus fruits sold commercially are coated with an edible wax to enhance the shelf life. This can be easily removed by washing the fruit with warm water then drying.

AVGOLEMONO

A quick classic Greek. Avgolemono is pronounced ‘ah-vo-le-mo-no’ — the ‘g’ is there, but it's almost silent. Use chicken breast from a supermarket roasted chicken, if preferred.

Ingredients

■ 1 Tbsp olive oil

■ 1 small onion, chopped

■ 1 medium carrot, chopped

■ 1/2 cup Arborio rice

■ 4 cups chicken stock

■ 3 eggs

■ 3 Tbsp lemon juice

■ 2 (400g) skinned and boned chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

■ salt and pepper to taste

■ 2 Tbsp chopped dill or

■ 2 tsp dried dill tips

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute´ the onion and carrot until just tender.

Add rice and stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs together with the lemon juice in a small bowl, until well combined.

Add the shredded chicken to the saucepan. Add a ladle of the soup to the egg mixture and stir well. Pour back into the saucepan. Stir until thickened. Season. Taste and add more lemon juice if required. Garnish with dill and serve. Serves 6.

ORANGE FIVE-SPICE CAKE

This moist cake can be kept in the refrigerator or freezer

Ingredients

■ 1 orange, with skin but with pips removed

■ 1/2 cup walnuts

■ 1 cup each: pitted dates, sugar

■ 125g butter, softened

■ 1 large egg

■ 1 cup milk

■ 2 cups plain flour

■ 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

■ 1 tsp baking soda

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Lightly grease and line the base of a 21cm round cake pan.

Chop the orange then whizz

quickly in a food processor. Add the walnuts and dates. Process, until coarsely chopped. Place in a bowl.

Place the sugar, butter and egg in the food processor and mix, until smooth. Combine with the fruit mixture in the bowl, together with the milk and sifted dry ingredients. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

When cold, the cake can be dusted with icing sugar or spread with orange cream cheese icing.

ORANGE CHUTNEY

Excellent served with meats or cheese.

Ingredients

■ 3 large oranges

■ 2 apples, peeled, cored and diced

■ 1 onion, diced

■ 2 1/2 cups cider vinegar

■ 1 1/2 cups white sugar

■ 2 Tbsp grated root ginger

■ 1 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)

■ 2 tsp salt

Method

Peel the oranges with a potato peeler. Cut into thin strips. Cut the pith off the oranges and discard. Cut the flesh into small pieces. Discard any pips.

Place the oranges, peel, apples and onion in a large saucepan together with the remaining ingredients. Stir well.

Bring to the boil and simmer until the fruit is tender and the mixture thickened, about 50 minutes.

Pour into sterilised jars and seal. Makes about 3 cups.

DOUBLE LEMON MUFFINS

Lemon honey or curd is dolloped in the centre of the muffins. After baking they are doused with a lemon syrup.

Ingredients

■ 4 1/4 cups self-raising flour ■ 1 tsp salt

■ 1/2 tsp baking powder

■ 1 cup sugar

■ 2 eggs

■ 1/2 cup canola or sunflower oil ■ 1 cup each: orange juice, milk ■ 4-5 Tbsp lemon honey ■ Topping: 3 Tbsp lemon juice ■ 1/4 cup sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin pan. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, orange juice and milk. Lightly mix the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, until they are just moistened. Half fill the muffin holes with the mixture.

Top with a good teaspoon of lemon honey then cover with the remaining muffin mixture. Bake for 20 minutes.

Heat the lemon juice and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Spoon over the hot muffins.

Makes 12.