Cooking with Blood Oranges

Citrus fruits top my list of favorite ingredients. They are absolutely gorgeous in color – pops of bright green, yellow, and orange. They are also extremely versatile. The balance of sour and sweet notes makes them the perfect addition to desserts and savory dishes alike. When tasked with incorporating a seasonal ingredient into a handful of recipes – my mind immediately jumped to blood oranges for all of the above reasons.

End of Winter Salad (serves 2)
Salad Ingredients:
3 cups of mixed greens
2 blood oranges, peeled, pith removed, and sliced into wedges
3 medium sized beets, cooked and cubed
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons of chopped pistachios

Dressing Ingredients:
2 tablespoons blood orange juice
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon blood orange zest
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper

Directions:
Arrange salad ingredients over the bed of mixed greens. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Toss to combine.

Citrus Crusted Chicken with Israeli Couscous (serves 4)
Chicken Ingredients:
4 thin chicken cutlets (2 breasts sliced in half and pounded)
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon blood orange zest
2 tablespoons blood orange juice
olive oil

Directions:
Place flour in one bowl/dish, the beaten egg and blood orange juice in another bowl/dish, and the breadcrumbs and various citrus zests in a third bowl. Dredge the chicken first in the flour, then egg, and finally the breadcrumb mixture, coating fully. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Once oil is heated cook chicken in oil for 4-5 minutes per side until crisp and golden brown. Remove and place over paper towel to remove excess oil.

Israeli Couscous Ingredients:
1 ½ cups Israeli couscous
¾ cup water
1 cup vegetable stock
2 teaspoons apple red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mint, chopped
1 teaspoon blood orange zest
2 tablespoons blood orange juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
10-15 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/3 cup crumbled feta

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in medium size saucepan. Add couscous and let it toast (2 minutes) stirring occasionally. Add vegetable stock and water and let the mixture come to a boil. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients (red wine vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, mint, orange zest, orange juice, tomatoes, and feta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tostadas Three Ways with Blood Orange Salsa (9 tostadas, 3 of each kind)
Tostada Ingredients:
Whole wheat or flour tortillas cut into 2 inch rounds
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
6 shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
½ lb sirloin cubed in bite size pieces
1/3 cup fat free sour cream
olive oil

Salsa Ingredients:
1 avocado, cubed
1 tomato, chopped
¼ medium red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 blood orange, peeled, pith and seeds removed, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper

Directions:
To prepare shrimp: heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until completely pink.
To prepare beef: heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook until no longer pink (8-10 minutes), stirring to turn occasionally.
To prepare salsa: Combine all ingredients, toss to combine.
To prepare tostada: Brush top of tortilla with olive oil, bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

To assemble: Spoon ½ tablespoon of fat free sour cream on tostada. Add 2 shrimp OR 1 tablespoon of beef OR 1 tablespoon of beans. Top with one tablespoon of blood orange salsa. Garnish with cilantro spring (optional).



Blood Orange Vodka Martini
Ingredients:
2 shots vodka
1 shot simple syrup (recipe below)
1 shot blood orange juice
ice

Directions:
To make simple syrup combine equal parts water and granulated sugar in saucepan (1/2 cup of each is more than enough for this purpose). Over low heat, whisk until sugar is completely dissolved. Combine all ingredients in a martini shaker with ice. Shake and pour into martini glass. Garnish with blood orange peel.



Blood Orange Cupcakes (a dozen)
Cupcake Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
½ tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons blood orange juice
1 teaspoon blood orange zest

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients (WW flour, baking powder and salt). Slowly add dry ingredients to wet until combined. Pour in milk until it’s incorporated into the batter. Finally, add in orange juice and orange zest. Spoon evenly among lined cupcake tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting Ingredients:
½ cup butter
6 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons blood orange juice
2 teaspoons blood orange zest
1 drop of red food coloring for color (optional)

Directions:
Beat butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Add in vanilla, orange juice, and orange zest until combined. Slowly add confectioners sugar ½ cup at a time until the frosting takes desired consistency. Add in food coloring if desired.

*Tip: Wait until cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

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