Cooking With Miniature Oranges

[Pam R]

I have a miniature orange tree that lives in my kitchen, by the window. It thrives there, year-round.

The first picture was taken a few days ago, after harvesting about a dozen oranges. The second picture illustrates how small they are, fully grown (that's a dollar coin). Problem is, once they're picked I don't know what to do with them.

If you haven't tried them, they are very, very tart. But they also have a lovely, citrus flavour. I'm thinking they'd make a nice vinaigrette, maybe a marinade for beef? Though I'm not sure how easy it would be to juice the little suckers.

Anybody cooking with them? What are you making?

[Milagai]

Can you preserve them like lemons?

[Kerry Beal]

Small batch marmalade? Candied?

[GTO]

You could cut them into thin slices and candy them. That'd be pretty sweet.

[petite tête de chou]

Candied then dipped in dark chocolate.

[heidih]

Those really look like kumquats. Is the inside super tart and the peel alone sweet? I so miss my kumquat tree from former house. Chutneys, marinades, whole in tagines, marmalade, drinks.........there are a ton of recipes out there- of course if it is a kumquat.

[Pam R]

For some reason, I wasn't thinking sweet at all. But I think they'd make a great marmalade. Has anybody made marmalade with Splenda and pectin? Will it work?

They aren't kumquats, but I can see how they might appear to be. They have a much . . . sweeter sourness (I know that makes no sense, but I'm not sure how to describe it) than any kumquats I've had. Plus, the skin seems to be thinner. It's hard to take one of the oranges off the tree without some of the skin pulling off of the orange (which you can see in the picture).

[GlorifiedRice]

For some reason, I wasn't thinking sweet at all.  But I think they'd make a great marmalade.  Has anybody made marmalade with Splenda and pectin? Will it work?

They aren't kumquats, but I can see how they might appear to be.  They have a much . . . sweeter sourness (I know that makes no sense, but I'm not sure how to describe it) than any kumquats I've had.  Plus, the skin seems to be thinner.  It's hard to take one of the oranges off the tree without some of the skin pulling off of the orange (which you can see in the picture).

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I would try half Splenda, half Erythritol.

All Splenda makes for a weird flavor.

Or Birch Sugar, Erythritol and splenda.

[Stevarino]

How about a fruit mostarda? I can't get it anymore, but I used to get this Mostarda di Cremona that had citrus in it that was very scrumptious with pork. I'm not sure what else was in there, but I know that the pear mostarda is also excellent! Maybe thow some pears in to stretch out your harvest! All you need is some sugar & mustard oil.

[Dejah]

My s-i-l has a huge minature orange tree. At harvest, she washes and brines them in quarter jars. We keep the jars in the fridge. Whenever someone gets a sore throat, acouple of these oranges are put into a cup, and boiling water is poured over them. The oranges are squished against the side of the cup so the brine, the OJ is mixed with the water. It's not the most pleasant drink, but all the salt and Vitamin C in these little suckers seem to do the trick of easing the sore throat and promote healing.