Oranges ... I’m sure all of you know what an Orange is and how good they are for you so today let’s look at the Orange, of course, they are different and sometimes the same around the world we have all enjoyed and Orange or OJ…

There are over 400  different types of Oranges in the world…however they all don’t belong to the citrus family whose Oranges are a rich source of citric Acid plus Vitamin C…

Sweet oranges (C. Sinensis) are one of the most popular oranges around the world…then we have the Common Orange these varietals make up two-thirds of the worlds Orange production and are generally what is used to make our OJ.

Blood Oranges…One of my favourite oranges and they sure make for a delicious Mojito…they are also jam-packed full of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant. These are the pigments that give them their dark red colour.

These antioxidants are known for their anti-cancer properties. They help your body reduce damage from free radicals, decreasing the chance that cells will become cancerous.

Navel Oranges…Navel oranges are one of the healthiest fruits you can eat, filled with Vitamin C, fibre, potassium and low in calories. It is always better if you can opt for whole oranges over juice whenever possible…

Bitter Oranges…Native to eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Syria, and Southeast Asia, bitter orange now is grown throughout the Mediterranean region and elsewhere, including California and Florida.

Bitter orange has for years been used in traditional Chinese medicine for indigestion, nausea, and constipation.

Today, various bitter orange products are promoted for heartburn, nasal congestion, weight loss, appetite stimulation or suppression, and athletic performance. Bitter orange is also applied to the skin for pain, bruises, fungal infections, and bedsores. Bitter orange is used in cooking and for adding flavour to beer and spirits.

Tangerine…The Tangerine is a type of Orange…Like all citrus fruits, tangerines have an abundance of vitamin C. They also have a moderate amount of vitamin A, with 100 grams of tangerine providing you with approximately 14% of your daily recommended vitamin A intake.

Mandarin…Mandarins belong to the Citrus genus. It’s believed they originated in ancient China, which is how they got their name. Their peel is deep-orange, loose and slightly leathery. Unlike oranges, mandarins are not round. Rather, they’re oblong, resembling a sphere with a flattened top and bottom. easy to peel.

Clementine...Tangerines and clementines are both hybrids of the small-sized mandarin. They share many of the same characteristics as other mandarins, such as a smaller size compared with navel oranges, few to no seeds, a sweet flavour, and a thin, soft skin that’s very easy to peel.

Tangerines and clementines have a similar appearance, so it’s easy to get them confused or think they’re one and the same.

Seville Orange…Seville sour orange is the variety of sour orange traditionally used to make orange marmalade. The fragrant flowers are used in China to flavour tea, and in Europe, the flowers are the source of oil of neroli, used in perfume manufacture.

Bergamot Orange…That is one strange-looking orange! Or is it lime? Meet the odd fruit that gives Earl Grey tea its signature flavour and aroma. But unlike other citrus fruits, they cannot be eaten fresh. Bergamot oranges are sour, despite the fact that the fruit is a good source of vitamin C, potassium, vitamins B1, B2, and A. In addition to being the star flavour of Earl Grey tea, the zest and flesh of the bergamot fruit are used in Europe as a flavouring in cookies, custards, marmalades, syrups, and cocktails. It is also mixed with mayonnaise or pesto and served as a condiment with fish or meat entrees.

Thai oranges… are among the juiciest of oranges with a yellowish-green peel and bright orange flesh; the segments are generally eaten fresh or squeezed for juice. The overall season for Thai oranges is September through November, although they can be enjoyed year-round.

Orange in the Thai Language is called SOM…

Did you know?

Oranges are currently the largest citrus crop in the world and actually originated from China. Now, Brazil is the leading orange producer in the world, producing about 30% of the world’s output. The United States comes in second, accounting for about 10% of the world’s production.

About 70% of the oranges grown in the United States are grown in Florida. California, Texas, and Arizona are also large producers. Orange trees, though they require tropical climates, are actually classified as evergreen trees.

Cooking with Oranges…Orange zest added to baking or savoury dishes always adds that zing…Duck A La Orange is a classic French recipe featuring a whole roasted duck with crispy, crackling skin along with an aromatic sweet-sour sauce known as sauce bigarade. The original sauce bigarade is made with bitter oranges (sometimes called bigarade oranges, sour oranges, or Seville oranges), and it’s finely balanced, with just enough sweetness to offset the intensity of those oranges. One of my favourites…

Segmented and added to a salad…oranges and Mozzarella make a good pair…add the juice when you are cooking couscous…roasted carrots with orange juice taste sublime…Candied Orange Peel…Sticky Jerk Chicken with Blood Oranges, Beetroot and Orange smoothie is one of my favourites…Orange and Mint…think Mojitos…Marmalade Muffins…Gluten-Free Orange and Almond Cake, a lovely shredded duck, watercress and Orange salad..delicious…Orange Pork with Watercress Rice…

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of rice
• 1 ¼ lb Pork tenderloin cut into cubes
• 3 cups of coarsely chopped watercress reserving a few sprigs for garnish.
• 4-6 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp of oil
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2/3 cup Orange marmalade
• A ½ cup of finely julienned ginger
• Salt and pepper to season

Cook the rice and toss in the watercress with ½ to 1 tbsp oil, cover and leave to stand for at least 10 minutes.

Season the pork and with the pan on medium heat add the oil and add half of the ginger and cook until the ginger is golden, drain and set to one side.

Add the pork and brown for 3-4 minutes and then remove from the pan. Add the remainder of the ginger and the garlic and cook for 30 seconds add the marmalade, fish sauce and lime juice bring to a slow rolling boil stirring until it is syrupy then return the pork to the pan simmer for 1 minute and serve over the rice.

Garnish with the crispy ginger and watercress sprigs.

This was very nice I wasn’t sure about the watercress but the heat of the rice just wilted the watercress and it was very nice even hubby liked it….Me, I might add some chilli flakes next time…Just saying…

Those are some of my favourites ...what is your favourite dish with Oranges?…

Thank you for joining me today I hope you have enjoyed this post on Oranges and I look forward to your comments and hearing what you make with Oranges…

See you tomorrow for Saturday Snippets I  invite any of you to give me one word as I am running out of ideas…Last weeks word was Rainbow and I had fun with that without the unicorns…x