Citrus Sunshine

Our resident food maestro dishes up oranges and lemons with a twist



We need warmer, more comforting food in winter, and plenty of it, but that doesn’t mean we have to curl up on the couch and eat stodge for three months. In Siberia, perhaps, but not in Australia.

In fact we need light, bright food more than ever in winter, to keep us healthy and happy. For me, that means stocking up on oranges and lemons, for their colour, fragrance and tang.

I don’t think I could cook at all without a lemon in the house. It’s my security fruit. What if I wanted an emergency gin and tonic? Or I decided to grill a fish for dinner? It doesn’t bear thinking about. And oranges – fruitier and sweeter - are a constant source of inspiration, as these recipes show.

Its funny how few people hail oranges and lemons as superfoods, yet they’re bursting with vital antioxidants such as vitamin C, helping us fight off colds and worse. But the best thing about oranges and lemons is what they do for our food, not just for our bodies. They seem to wake up everything they touch and make it taste better.

Their juice lightens and brightens sauces and dressings, marinates and tenderises chicken and lamb, and ‘cooks’ raw fish. Their zest brings a real sparkle to plain vegetables, adds fragrance to cakes and icings, and just a slice and a squeeze turns a gin and tonic into a treat.

Keep them both by your side in the winter months, when they are at their juicy best, and use them to zap up anything you think might be a bit on the boring side.

Tasty recipes to try…

Spicy pumpkin and orange soup with lemon gremolata
Lemon gremolata crumbs
Grilled mackerel with harissa and orange couscous
Roasted sweet potato with oranges and chorizo
Lemon chicken
Little flourless orange and almond cakes
Vanilla-scented oranges