In the dead of winter, when most good fresh fruit is a distant memory, oranges are a godsend. Juicy, sweet, and vibrant in color and flavor, they're sometimes the only bright spot in an otherwise sad and wilted supermarket-produce landscape.
Oranges are cultivated in warm regions around the world, like Spain, Brazil, Mexico, India, and, domestically, Florida and California. There are three main types: sweet (including familiar navel and Valencia oranges), loose skinned (Mandarins, tangerines, and Clementines), and bitter (used to make marmalade and rarely seen fresh in American markets). Oranges are of course closely related to grapefruits, lemons, and limes; all belong to the genus Citrus, and all are technically berries.
Of all citrus, oranges are the sweetest, although they're still acidic enough to make an interesting, mild alternative to vinegar and lemon juice. I always use freshly squeezed orange juice for cooking and drinking; it invariably tastes far better than the kind you buy in cartons, and you can be sure that it's free of preservatives and additives.
Orange peel (or zest) is also perfectly edible and can add great orange flavor to baked goods, stir-fries, soups, and salad dressings. Whether you're removing the zest with a sharp knife or with a grater (Microplane graters are perfect for oranges), be sure to leave behind the white pith-the Styrofoam-like layer between the peel and the flesh-which tastes bitter.
To make orange slices appear elegant by removing all traces of pith-a good idea when you're cooking with them-cut off both ends of the fruit with a chef's or serrated knife, stand the orange on one end, and cut off the skin in long strips, keeping your knife as close to the flesh as possible. If you want neat orange segments, cut between the membranes to separate the sections; for "wheels," slice the orange crosswise. (Either way of cutting an orange works for Black Beans with Crisp Pork and Orange, a Latin American-inspired dish that derives flavor from orange juice and zest in addition to orange segments.)
If you want to keep the orange mostly intact but make the segments easier to separate, just halve the orange around the equator and then use a paring knife to loosen the flesh from the skin and the membranes. Now you can serve the orange raw with a spoon-the peel acts conveniently as a serving vessel-or, for something a little fancier, you can broil sectioned orange halves to warm and gently caramelize their juices. Topping them with a little butter and sugar makes broiled oranges almost decadent; the optional addition of fresh ginger and shredded coconut gilds the lily. Broiled Oranges with Coconut and Ginger makes an easy, light dessert or a fabulous addition to a weekend brunch.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.