Why am I providing a recipe for glazed oranges this month? As most of you know, I live in Tampa, Florida, not too far from Tropicana, the maker of Florida orange juice and many other juice products. When you drive along Route 41 South, you can see 20 or 30 tractors pulling trailers loaded with oranges on the way to Tropicana’s processing plant. Even better, you can smell the wonderful aroma of the oranges from miles away.
Of course, everyone knows oranges are good for you, especially as a source of vitamin C. But, according to a CNN report, oranges are also rich in pectin, a dietary fiber that protects the colon and reduces blood cholesterol levels, plus an antioxidant called naringenin, and other healthy flavonoids.
One day recently, after watching the tractors hauling oranges down Route 41, I came home with the idea for this recipe. I told my wife to get out of the kitchen, and I started to play around. I made six glazed oranges with different flavors and tested them on my neighbors the next day. They were delicious!
You’ll Need:
4 large navel oranges
3 tbsp. butter
¾ c. currant jelly
½ c. orange juice
1 tbsp. arrowroot
2 tbsp. cold water
Directions:
Remove the thin outer peel from three of the oranges with a peeler. Cut the peels into very thin slivers and place in a small saucepan. Add water to cover orange peels and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and put peels to the side.
Cut remaining peel and white membranes (rinds) from all four oranges. Now put butter and jelly in the cooking pan of a chafing dish. Place the oven on low heat and stir gently until melted. Stir in the orange and peels. Reserve some on the side for garnish, if desired. Place oranges in sauce. Cook for five minutes. Spoon the sauce onto the mixture. Occasionally mix in the arrowroot with cold water to form a smooth paste. Stir into the sauce. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens, approximately five minutes. When done, serve the oranges warm. Sprinkle with peel for garnish.
