Poached Oranges Recipes

ITALIAN POACHED ORANGES

Steps:

• Strip the zest from the oranges with a vegetable peeler, making sure not to peel away any of the white pith. Cut the zest into 1/8-inch shreds with a sharp knife. Place shredded zest in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over low heat. Drain zest, discard cooking water and place zest in a bowl; cover zest with cold water and set aside.
• Combine the sugar and the water in a medium saucepan, bring it to a boil and cook the syrup until it thickens slightly about 3 minutes.
• While the syrup is cooking, peel the oranges to expose the flesh. Lower the heat on the syrup and cook the oranges 1 or 2 (they should be submerged in the syrup--if not, switch to a smaller saucepan) at a time for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove the oranges from the syrup with a slotted spoon and place in a serving bowl.
• Add the shredded zest to the syrup and cook the zest for two minutes, or until the zest is translucent. Remove the zest from the syrup and scatter over the oranges. Chill the oranges and sprinkle with orange liqueur just before serving.

PERFECT POACHED FRUIT

Steps:

• Place the vin santo, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean, and zests in a large, shallow saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact, and scoop out the seeds from the bottom with an apple corer or melon baller. Lay half the pears on their sides in the poaching liquid and simmer for 20 minutes, carefully turning the pears once with a spoon. Remove with a slotted spoon. Poach the remaining pears in the same liquid. Snip off the hard stems from the figs with scissors. Add the figs, apricots, prunes, and the first batch of poached pears and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes, until the pears and the dried fruit are all tender.
• Chill the pears, dried fruit, zests, and poaching liquid. Remove the cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla bean before serving if you like.

BASIL POACHED ORANGES AND GRAPEFRUIT

Steps:

• Using a very sharp knife, peel the grapefruit and oranges, discarding the skins (be sure to remove all of the white pith). Slice the fruit into 1/4-inch rounds, removing pits as you go. Set aside in a medium non-reactive bowl.
• In a medium non-reactive pan, combine the water, sugar, lemon juice. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the seeds and bean to the liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Thinly slice 6 of the basil leaves and toss over the citrus rounds.
• Remove liquid from heat and strain over the citrus and basil. Refrigerate until chilled.
• Serve the chilled fruit and liquid over lemon sorbet or vanilla ice cream. Garnish with fresh basil.

POACHED ORANGES WITH CANDIED ZEST AND GINGER

Steps:

• Peel ginger and halve crosswise. Cut pieces lengthwise into 1/16-inch-thick slices, then cut slices into 1/8-inch-wide julienne strips and transfer to a 2-quart heavy saucepan.
• Remove zest from 3 oranges in long wide strips with a vegetable peeler, removing any white pith from zest with a paring knife, and add to ginger in pan. Fill pan three-fourths full with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, then drain in a sieve. Return zest and ginger to pan and refill with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Drain zest and ginger. Repeat simmering with more cold water for another 10 minutes, then drain.
• Bring 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, and salt to a boil in saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add zest and ginger and gently simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until zest and ginger are completely translucent and syrup is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain candied zest and ginger in a sieve, discarding syrup.
• Meanwhile, cut 1/2 inch from top and bottom of all oranges with a sharp knife, exposing fruit at both ends. Cut peel and pith from sides (leaving no white parts) with paring knife, trimming fruit if large (but retaining orange shape) to 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches wide at middle. Discard trimmings.
• Bring wine, orange juice, 1/2 cup Grand Marnier, and remaining cup sugar to a boil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil 3 minutes. Add oranges, arranging in 1 layer, and simmer, covered with a tight-fitting lid, 10 minutes. Transfer oranges with a slotted spoon to a serving dish, inverting them (so syrup coats oranges). Add candied zest and ginger to syrup and boil over moderate heat, uncovered, until syrup is thickened and mixture is reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier.
• When oranges are cool enough to handle, cut each crosswise into thirds on a cutting board, then reassemble "whole" in serving dish. Spoon zest mixture, including syrup, over oranges, arranging zests and ginger decoratively over them. Chill oranges in serving dish until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Just before serving, spoon syrup in dish over oranges to coat. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

CITRUS POACHED ORANGE ROUGHY

Steps:

• Cut fish into 4-6 serving-size pieces.
• Combine orange juice, water and wine in large skillet. Bring to boil.
• Add fish pieces and return to a boil,then reduce heat to simmer.
• Simmer 7 or 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Transfer fish to warm serving platter.
• Mix melted butter and cilantro. Drizzle over fish. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Garnish platter with orange, lime and lemon slices.