We left Flayler's Fruit Farm with 10 pounds of oranges for $10! The owner of the farm, Dick Flayler, is a U.S. Navy veteran who sells his fruit for $1-2 per pound, depending on the variety. He has peaches and citrus and told us that there are farms nearby with pick-your-own blueberries and blackberries. We enjoyed our time chatting with Dick. He was a neat guy and loved telling us about his farm (here's an article for more information on Dick and why he chose to have a pick-your-own farm). We definitely want to return during peach season, but we might be back as early as next weekend if the grapefruits are ready for picking!
Now, what to do with 10 pounds of the oranges? We left a dozen at our friends' house on our way back from picking. They already had clementines, so we couldn't convince them to keep any more. My goal was to throw away as little as possible, which meant I would have to find uses for a significant number of peels. Here are a few of the things I've been making with our fresh, picked-in-Texas oranges:
7 oranges (2 cups of juice and 1 tablespoon of zest)
--Way back in 2011, I made raspberry sherbet. It was my first experiment with sherbet which meant that I did a fair bit of research before I made it. While ice cream is generally made from a cream custard base, sherbet is made from whole milk. The tricky part about sherbet is that the lower fat content can lead to an icy product, so vodka or liquor is often added to prevent it from freezing like a brick. I was intrigued by this sherbet recipe because it uses heavy cream whipped to soft peaks. The whipped cream adds air and fat, which together, should help prevent the sherbet from becoming icy. In case that's not enough to prevent ice from forming, a few teaspoons of orange liqueur are included in the base. I cut the sugar down to 3/4 cup because my oranges were sweet. The flavor was incredibly orangey and delicious. The texture was creamier than your average sherbet (not surprising) but firm.
1 orange (1 tablespoon of juice and 1 teaspoon of zest)
I've wanted to make this recipe since I first got the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook in 2010. I forgot about the recipe until just recently, but didn't think I would make it because it called for both lemon and orange extract. I have lemon extract from when I made lemon poppyseed cake but I didn't want to buy orange extract only to give it away, pack it away for a year, or throw it away. With an abundance of orange peels, I decided to make some. Problem solved! For the muffins, I used a tablespoon each of lime and orange juice and a teaspoon each of lemon and orange zest. I made the glaze with 3 tablespoons made up of orange, lime and lemon juice (whatever was left in the pulp). I used homemade orange sugar for extra zest. The muffins were delicious. C described them as"Moist and tangy with a sweet glaze." I would describe them as airy soft and lightly citrusy. I will be sure to make these muffins again soon!
Orange Extract
1 orange peel
Homemade orange extract is surprisingly easy if you have high proof alcohol. I happen to have a bottle of Everclear on hand from homemade orange hop bitter that C and I are making. To make orange extract, I scraped the white pith out of the orange peels, thinly sliced the peels, put them in the bottom of an old marmalade jar, and covered them with 190-proof grain alcohol. Then I let them sit with a good shake every now and again, adding a few tablespoons of boiling water after 24 hours. Though I dipped into it early, the best thing to do is let it steep for 2 weeks, strain it into a clean air-tight glass container, and store in a dark cupboard.
3 oranges (3/4 cup pulp, 1 peel)
Thoroughly wash the oranges and 1 lemon. Cut the tops and bottoms off of the oranges. Cut off the orange part of the rind, leaving most of the white pith. Slice the peel into thin strips and roughly chop. Use your fingers to remove the remaining white pith and membranes surrounding the pulp. Collect the orange pulp in a measuring cup. To 3/4 cup pulp, add 1/4 cup water and the juice of one half lemon. Pulse in a food processor or blender. Pour into a small saucepan and add 1/2-3/4 cup sugar (to taste). Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-20 minutes or until it reaches about 220 degrees (alternatively, put a dollop on a small plate and put it in the fridge. If it firms as it cools, it's done). Move to a sterilized glass container (just fill it with boiling water prior to using), cool, and chill. Makes about 1 cup of marmalade. Tastes surprisingly good on peanut butter sandwiches!
Orange Sugar
1 orange peel
--To 1 cup of sugar (granulated or coarse), add the zest of one orange. Stir well and cover until ready to use. You can keep stirring in more sugar to make it last. Sprinkle on the top of muffins or scones before putting them in the oven, use in baked goods, drinks, or anything sweet that could use a hint of orange.
Dried Orange Peel
3 orange peels
--Scoop the white pith out of the orange peels. Thinly slice the peels and let them sit on a baking sheet for a few days until they've dried out completely (4 days should work if there isn't much humidity or if the heat is on). If necessary, you can bake them on the lowest setting in the oven. Grind (try using a coffee grinder) and use to replace orange zest. Or, don't grind them, and use the cute little curly cues for decorating baked goods or drinks.
Orange cleaner
2 orange peels + 1 lemon peel
--Cover citrus peels with vinegar. Steep for a week or two. Strain out the citrus peels, dilute 1:1 with water, and store in a spray bottle. Use as a surface cleaner.
Orange Themed Dinner
9 oranges, juice and peels
--Though I had plans for more orange baking, I came home to a full orange themed meal prepared by C! For pre-dinner drinks, he made a cocktail with freshly squeezed orange juice, Rhubarb Hop Simple Syrup, a dash of bitters, and sparkling wine. For the first course, he made a spinach salad with a pumpkin seed oil and orange (instead of pomegranate) juice dressing that he topped with orange segments, almonds, and cranberries. Then he served orange rosemary chicken with rice and brussels sprouts. For dessert, we had homemade orange sherbet. I was beyond impressed with the meal he made from what we had on hand. We'd been talking about all of the specialty oils and vinegars, rice and grains, spices, etc. that we need to use before we move in 7 months. Not only did he use oranges in each course, he used the spinach we had leftover from a potluck dish I made last week, pumpkin seed oil that's never been opened, rosemary from the rosemary Christmas tree I won at a white elephant gift exchange and the rhubarb hop simple syrup he got from my mom for Christmas.
It's been exactly one week since we went orange picking. What's the current orange tally? 3 oranges! I'm actually a little sad that there are only three left. I was having fun! I'm hoping to squeeze a lot of life out of those 3 remaining oranges to make orange cream scones and orange scented chocolate crinkles. Stay tuned for those recipes as I'll be sure to share them with you if they turn out favorably!
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