Oranges: 3 ways

Spiced oranges warm up a winter's evening. Photo - photolibrary.com

Glut of oranges? Here's 3 ways to churn through your bounty.

1. Spiced caramel oranges

Make a caramel by melting half a cup of sugar in small pan. When it is golden remove from the heat and carefully add a cup of water, pouring it slowly down the side of the pan. Put the pan back on the heat, add two cinnamon sticks, two star anise and the zest of an orange and stir until the caramel has dissolved. Then add three tablespoons of dark rum and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over orange segments or slices and let macerate for at least two hours. Serve at room temperature.

2. Red and orange salad

To a bowl of mixed cos and radicchio leaves add segments of orange and thinly sliced red onion, soaked for 5 minutes in hot water. Make a dressing with orange juice and sherry vinegar, balanced with olive oil and thickened with a spoonful of Dijon mustard and honey to taste. Crumble fetta cheese on top before drizzling over the dressing.

3. Spicy orange and avocado salsa

Cut avocado, orange segments and cucumber into cubes then mix together with finely chopped red onion or homegrown chives and snipped green and red chili to taste. Dowse the lot with freshly squeezed lime juice and spoon on to Mexican-spiced fish or meat.

Text: Robin Powell