Salt Preserved Oranges

[BadRabbit]

I've been making preserved lemons for a while to use in my N. African food and was toying with the idea of doing some oranges as well. I was thinking of using a more tart variety like the Seville and maybe including some cardamom and coriander.

Has anybody tried this? The fact that I don't see much on the web has me worried that perhaps oranges don't work out like lemons do.

Anybody got any good uses for them when I'm done?

Edited February 14, 2012 by BadRabbit (log)

[Chris Amirault]

I think that this is a brilliant idea. I've got to get a new batch of lemons going, and I wonder if a batch of oranges is also on the docket...!

[Charcuterer]

Last Christmas my wife bought one of those little flats of tangerines and every time I saw them I thought about salt curing some.

[Msk]

Chris,

I'd be interested in your process. Do you do it in a jar, a vacuum bag?

Mike

[Chris Amirault]

I've always done it in a glass jar but will use the chamber vacuum sealer now, I'm sure.

[andiesenji]

I tried a batch with the little sour oranges that grew on trees that died back to the rootstock after a freeze and they turned out quite nice.

I also tried a couple of Valencias but they got too mushy.

As the sour ones are difficult to get (I have a friend who has a citrus grove near Ojai who has just a few trees that remain after the others were removed) but I've ordered a box of Seville oranges for marmalade and will try salting a couple of them. They have a denser texture than the Valencias or Navels and might well hold up better to the brine.

There is also this.

Edited February 14, 2012 by andiesenji (log)

[BadRabbit]

I tried a batch with the little sour oranges that grew on trees that died back to the rootstock after a freeze and they turned out quite nice.

I also tried a couple of Valencias but they got too mushy.

In what applications did you use the oranges?

[andiesenji]

I tried a batch with the little sour oranges that grew on trees that died back to the rootstock after a freeze and they turned out quite nice.

I also tried a couple of Valencias but they got too mushy.

In what applications did you use the oranges?

I added some to fried rice - used in tagines with chicken and turkey, added some to a batch of onion confit. I used it all up but can't recall what else. I may have put some in with an antipasto platter - I often use preserved lemons wrapped in very thin slices of salami.

[FrogPrincesse]

A few months ago, I had preserved oranges in a clam dish at whisknladle, a restaurant in La Jolla. The dish was "Local Venus Clams Tomato-Clam Jus, Merguez Sausage, Charred Rapini, Preserved Orange & Grilled Bread".

I think I want to steal this idea!

[threestars]

Hoping to try this out as well. Probably a glass jar will do then.

[Sidney]

What is this talk about salt lemons I have never tasted or even heard of them. Why salt them and what do you do with them?

[BadRabbit]

What is this talk about salt lemons I have never tasted or even heard of them. Why salt them and what do you do with them?

If you've ever had Moroccan food, you've almost certainly had preserved lemons. They are commonly used in dishes like lemon chicken with olives, lots of tangines, cous cous dishes, and salads.

Some Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines use them as well.

I am sure the original intent was to make lemons available year round and to facilitate their travel over long distances but they are a somewhat different ingredient than fresh lemon. They are more lemony than fresh and because of the salt and the fact that often only the rind is used they are also much less acidic than fresh fruit.

Edited February 21, 2012 by BadRabbit (log)

[andiesenji]

What is this talk about salt lemons I have never tasted or even heard of them. Why salt them and what do you do with them?

There is an extensive topic here on eG about preserved lemons.

There is also this site, with a popular variation

If you do a Google search for Moroccan Preserved Lemons, you will get a plethora of sites with many recipes.

The basic, traditional one takes 30 days but there are shorter versions and you can preserve a single lemon in a small jar to see if you like it, before going all out for the big, multi-lemon container.

[dockhl]

Andi~thanks for the link to the old thread. I saw that I DID make some spiced oranges with great success in 2005 (!) If I remember correctly, they were wonderful with vegetables, in risotto, chicken, pork............... Pretty good stuff. I made it just like I made the lemons.....

[andiesenji]

You are welcome, dockhl.

I received the crate of Seville oranges today and will be preparing a jar of the salted fruit tomorrow.

I'm going to try cutting them into wedges, instead of just cutting them part way through. I've had good success doing large lemons that way, the cure seems to be more even than when they are done the traditional way.

[dockhl]

Andie~

I usually almost-quarter mine, vertically. (Don't know why I don't cut all the way through? ) I agree that the salt<juice penetrates better. How many are you making? In jars?

[andiesenji]

Andie~

I usually almost-quarter mine, vertically. (Don't know why I don't cut all the way through? ) I agree that the salt<juice penetrates better. How many are you making? In jars?

I already weighed out the Sevilles that I need for marmalade, I only had five left to play with.

I cut 3 into wedges and juiced the other two - needed another orange to fill up the quart jar so used one navel.

I tasted the pulp in one of the juiced ones and it was quite sour but the peel is very aromatic but also much more bitter than the navel.

So, in a month we shall see how these turn out. Previously I used little sour oranges but couldn't get any this year.