Salty citrus fruits, including oranges, are a traditional Moroccan dish. They are used not only as a snack, but also added to various tagines and stews. Salted oranges have a pungent, spicy-sweet taste that many people enjoy.
Salted oranges recipe
Choose oranges with shiny peels that seem heavier than their size, which means they are not dry and full of juice. Make sure they are free of dents, stains, mildew and wrinkles. In order to pickle oranges, you will need for one liter jar:
- 4 large oranges;
- 4 tablespoons of coarse sea salt.
You can also add dried thyme leaves, dried cloves, cardamom seeds, dried red pepper flakes, black peppercorns to oranges.
Wash the oranges thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Cut each fruit into quarters without cutting the rind from the bottom. Spread two tablespoons of salt evenly over the cuts, then squeeze each fruit. Place about one tablespoon of salt in the bottom of the jar. Put salted oranges in a jar, sprinkle with salt, you can also use herbs.
Press down on the fruit until the juice comes out. If it seems to you that not enough juice was released, add a little more by squeezing it from another fruit. Close the jar with a tight lid, shake several times and store in a cool place away from sunlight. Shake the fruit jar from time to time.
The oranges will be ready to eat in 3-4 weeks. The thicker the peel, the longer the fruit will be salted. Finished salted oranges can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a year.
In the same way, you can pickle lemons, limes, grapefruits.
How to cook with salted oranges
Salted oranges are either rinsed or blanched before use to remove excess salt. The fruits are cut into slices or minced depending on the texture you need for the dish. You can use the whole orange or just the zest of the fruit. Salted orange liquid is great for cocktails.
Salted oranges are put in salads, salsa, hummus, guacamole. You can cook spaghetti, season with garlic and olive oil, and add salted orange slices. Traditionally, salted fruits are placed in tagines, added to couscous and rice. When baking fish, poultry or meat in foil, add a piece of salted fruit to them, and the dish will be enriched with new flavor nuances.
Quick salted oranges
If you are in doubt about whether salty citruses are right for your taste, try the quick recipe. You will need:
- 3-4 oranges;
- 1 tablespoon of sugar;
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil;
- a large pinch of sea salt.
Wash and dry the oranges. Cut them into wedges. In a large bowl, stir orange slices with sugar, salt and butter, place on a plate as a side dish and serve.
