OOOOOOOOOO... Orange!

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
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The orange (specifically, the sweet orange) is the fruit of the citrus species Citrus × sinensis in the family Rutaceae. The fruit of the Citrus sinensis is considered a sweet orange, whereas the fruit of the Citrus aurantium is considered a bitter orange. The orange is a hybrid, possibly between pomelo (Citrus maxima) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata), which has been cultivated since ancient times.

Probably originating in Southeast Asia, oranges were already cultivated in China as far back as 2500 BC. Arabophone peoples popularized sour citrus and oranges in Europe; Spaniards introduced the sweet orange to the American continent in the mid-1500s.

As of 1987, orange trees were found to be the most cultivated fruit tree in the world. Orange trees are widely grown in tropical and subtropical climates for their sweet fruit. The fruit of the orange tree can be eaten fresh, or processed for its juice or fragrant peel. As of 2012, sweet oranges accounted for approximately 70% of citrus production. In 2010, 68.3 million metric tons of oranges were grown worldwide, production being particularly prevalent in Brazil and the US states of California and Florida.

The orange is unknown in the wild state; is assumed to have originated in southern China, northeastern India, and perhaps southeastern Asia and that they were first cultivated in China around 2500 BC.

In Europe, citrus fruits—among them the bitter orange, introduced to Italy by the crusaders in the 11th century—were grown widely in the south for medicinal purposes, but the sweet orange was unknown until the late 15th century or the beginnings of the 16th century, when Italian and Portuguese merchants brought orange trees into the Mediterranean area. Shortly afterward, the sweet orange quickly was adopted as an edible fruit. It also was considered a luxury item and wealthy people grew oranges in private conservatories, called orangeries. By 1646, the sweet orange was well known throughout Europe.

Spanish explorers introduced the sweet orange into the American continent. On his second voyage in 1493, Christopher Columbus took seeds of oranges, lemons, and citrons to Haiti and the Caribbean. Subsequent expeditions in the mid-1500s brought sweet oranges to South America and Mexico, and to Florida in 1565, when Pedro Menéndez de Avilés founded St Augustine. Spanish missionaries brought orange trees to Arizona between 1707 and 1710, while the Franciscans did the same in San Diego, California, in 1769. An orchard was planted at the San Gabriel Mission around 1804 and a commercial orchard was established in 1841 near present-day Los Angeles. In Louisiana, oranges probably were introduced by French explorers.

Archibald Menzies, the botanist and naturalist on the Vancouver Expedition, collected orange seeds in South Africa, raised the seedlings onboard and gave them to several Hawaiian chiefs in 1792. Eventually, the sweet orange was grown in wide areas of the Hawaiian Islands, but its cultivation stopped after the arrival of the Mediterranean fruit fly in the early 1900s.

As oranges are rich in vitamin C and do not spoil easily, during the Age of Discovery, Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch sailors planted citrus trees along trade routes to prevent scurvy.

The word orange derives from the Sanskrit word for "orange tree" (नारङ्ग nāraṅga), probably of Dravidian origin. The Sanskrit word reached European languages through Persian نارنگ (nārang) and its Arabic derivative نارنج (nāranj).

The word entered Late Middle English in the fourteenth century via Old French orenge (in the phrase pomme d'orenge). The French word, in turn, comes from Old Provençal auranja, based on Arabic nāranj. In several languages, the initial n present in earlier forms of the word dropped off because it may have been mistaken as part of an indefinite article ending in an n sound—in French, for example, une norenge may have been heard as une orenge. This linguistic change is called juncture loss. The color was named after the fruit, and the first recorded use of orange as a colour name in English was in 1512.

As Portuguese merchants were presumably the first to introduce the sweet orange in Europe, in several modern Indo-European languages the fruit has been named after them. Some examples are Albanian portokall, Bulgarian портокал (portokal), Greek πορτοκάλι (portokali), Persian پرتقال (porteghal), and Romanian portocală. Related names can be found in other languages, such as Arabic البرتقال (bourtouqal), Georgian ფორთოხალი (p'ort'oxali), and Turkish portakal. In Italy, words derived from Portugal (Portogallo) to refer to the sweet orange are in common use in most dialects throughout the country, in contrast to standard Italian arancia.

In other Indo-European languages, the words for orange allude to the eastern origin of the fruit and can be translated literally as "apple from China". Some examples are Low German Apfelsine, Dutch appelsien and sinaasappel, Swedish apelsin, and Norwegian appelsin. A similar case is Puerto Rican Spanish china.

Various Slavic languages use the variants pomaranč (Slovak), pomeranč (Czech), pomaranča (Slovene), and pomarańcza (Polish), all from Old French pomme d'orenge.

Varieties

Common oranges

Common oranges (also called "white", "round", or "blond" oranges) constitute about two-thirds of all the orange production. The majority of this crop is used mostly for juice extraction.

Valencia


The Valencia orange is a late-season fruit, and therefore a popular variety when navel oranges are out of season. This is why an anthropomorphic orange was chosen as the mascot for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, held in Spain. The mascot was named Naranjito ("little orange") and wore the colors of the Spanish national football team.

Hart's Tardiff Valencia


Thomas Rivers, an English nurseryman, imported this variety from the Azores Islands and catalogued it in 1865 under the name Excelsior. Around 1870, he provided trees to S. B. Parsons, a Long Island nurseryman, who in turn sold them to E. H. Hart of Federal Point, Florida.

Hamlin


This cultivar was discovered by A. G. Hamlin near Glenwood, Florida, in 1879. The fruit is small, smooth, not highly colored, seedless, and juicy, with a pale yellow colored juice, especially in fruits that come from lemon rootstock. The tree is high-yielding and cold-tolerant and it produces good quality fruit, which is harvested from October to December. It thrives in humid subtropical climates. In cooler, more arid areas, the trees produce edible fruit, but too small for commercial use.

Trees from groves in hammocks or areas covered with pine forest are budded on sour orange trees, a method that gives a high solids content. On sand, they are grafted on rough lemon rootstock. The Hamlin orange is
one of the most popular juice oranges in Florida and replaces the Parson Brown variety as the principal early-season juice orange. This cultivar is now the leading early orange in Florida and, possibly, in the rest of the world.

Navel oranges

Navel oranges are characterized by the growth of a second fruit at the apex, which protrudes slightly and resembles a human navel. They are primarily grown for human consumption for various reasons: their thicker skin makes them easy to peel, they are less juicy and their bitterness – a result of the high concentrations of limonin and other limonoids – renders them less suitable for juice. Their widespread distribution and long growing season have made navel oranges very popular. In the United States, they are available from November to April, with peak supplies in January, February, and March.

Cara cara navels

Cara cara oranges (also called "red navel") are a type of navel orange grown mainly in Venezuela, South Africa and in California's San Joaquin Valley. They are sweet and comparatively low in acid, with a bright orange rind similar to that of other navels, but their flesh is distinctively pinkish red. It is believed that they have originated as a cross between the Washington navel and the Brazilian Bahia navel, and they were discovered at the Hacienda Cara Cara in Valencia, Venezuela, in 1976.

South African cara caras are ready for market in early August, while Venezuelan fruits arrive in October and Californian fruits in late November.
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Let´s start with something yummy:

Orange Creamsicle Truffles

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Yield: 20 truffles

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • Zest of 1/2 orange
  • 3 Tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tsp orange extract (optional)
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • Red and yellow food coloring (optional)
Directions

Pour white chocolate chips into a mixing bowl, set aside. Melt butter along with orange zest in a small saucepan. Stir in cream and scald mixture. Pour hot cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve over white chocolate chips and using a rubber spatula press zest against sieve to release orange oils into mixture. Allow mixture to rest 1 minute, add orange extract and optional food coloring to white chocolate chip mixture then stir until smooth. Cover mixture and refrigerate 2 hours or until firm enough to handle. Scoop mixture out by heaping teaspoon fulls and form into balls then roll in powdered sugar. Freeze truffles 20 minutes then enjoy. Store truffles in refrigerator as they will soften at room temperature or freeze for up to 1 month.

Source: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2012/04/orange-creamsicle-truffles/
 
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sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Orange Carrot Soup

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olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 kg carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 L (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
1 orange
2 tablespoons fresh continental parsley leaves

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Use a stick 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.

Source: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/27745/carrot orange soup?ref=collections,orange-recipes
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Orange Rosemary Chicken

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1 whole chicken, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups hot water

Orange marmalade and rosemary glaze


3/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped

  1. Make glaze: Stir orange juice, orange marmalade, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and chopped fresh rosemary in a saucepan over low heat for 2 minutes or until marmalade dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the glaze thickens.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan. Cook 1 whole chicken, quartered, for 2-3 minutes each side or until brown.
  3. Place 2 cups hot water and 2 tablespoons glaze in a roasting pan. Place chicken pieces, skin-side down, in the mixture. Cover with foil. Bake at 180 C, turning once, for 45 minutes or until just cooked.
  4. Preheat barbecue grill or chargrill on medium. Brush chicken with glaze. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until caramelised and slightly charred.

Source: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/31463/orange rosemary chicken?ref=collections,orange-recipes
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Orange meringue tartlets

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190g (1 1/4 cups) plain flour
2 tablespoons pure icing sugar
80g chilled butter, chopped
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons chilled water
1 tablespoon cornflour
220g caster sugar
185ml (3/4 cup) strained fresh orange juice
15g butter, extra
3 egg whites

  1. Process the flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg yolk and the water. Pulse until dough just comes together. Turn onto a clean work surface. Shape into a 12cm log. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour to rest.
  2. Preheat oven to 200°C. Cut the pastry log into 12 equal portions. Roll out 1 portion between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper until 3mm thick. Use a 7cm pastry cutter to cut a disc from the pastry. Repeat with the remaining dough portions. Line twelve 11/2-tablespoon capacity patty pans with pastry discs. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. Prick pastry all over with a fork. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk the cornflour, 70g (1/3 cup) caster sugar and the remaining egg yolks in a small bowl. Bring the orange juice just to the boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour into the saucepan. Stir over low heat for 3 minutes or until just boiling. Stir in the extra butter. Transfer the curd to a small bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap. Set aside to cool.
  4. Increase oven to 220°C. Divide the orange curd among the pastry cases. Use an electric beater to beat the egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form. Add the remaining caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until thick and glossy. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe meringue over the curd. Use a flat-bladed knife to create peaks. Bake for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside in the pans to cool.
Servings: 6

Source: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/29411/orange meringue tartlets?ref=collections,orange-recipes
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Baked orange creams

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finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
6 egg yolks
1 cup (220 g) caster sugar
600 ml thickened cream

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Place the orange rind, juice, egg yolks and 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar in a food processor and process until combined. Place the thickened cream in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to just below boiling point. Stir the orange mixture into the heated cream, then divide the mixture among six 120ml ramekins. Place the ramekins in a large roasting pan, then pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of the ramekins. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the mixtures have just set (they'll still have a slight wobble).
  2. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully remove the ramekins from the water. Cool for 20 minutes, then chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours until firm.
  3. For the toffee topping, have ready a large bowl or sink filled with cold water. Place the remaining sugar and 1/2 cup (125ml) water in a pan over low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Increase heat to medium - do not stir. Cook for 3-4 minutes until a light caramel colour. Remove from heat, then plunge the base of the pan into cold water to stop cooking process. Pour a thin layer over the custards and leave to set.

Source: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/17753/baked orange creams?ref=collections,orange-recipes
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Chocolate Orange Cookies

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250g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (150g) icing sugar mixture
2 1/2 cups (375g) plain flour
1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
120g dark chocolate
2 slices candied orange (see notes), cut into small wedges

  1. Beat the butter and icing sugar mixture using electric beaters until pale and thick. Add flour and rind, then beat on a low setting until combined. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Halve, then roll into two 25cm-long logs. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 170 C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Cut each log into 25 slices, 1cm-thick. Place rounds on trays, 2cm apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.
  3. Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, then microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring, until the chocolate has melted and is smooth.
  4. When the biscuits have cooled slightly, dip halfway into melted chocolate. Put on a wire rack and place a piece of candied orange in the centres. Leave until the chocolate has set. The biscuits will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Source: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/17749/choc orange biscuits?ref=collections,orange-recipes
 
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