Orange You Glad it’s Winter

Recipe page 49

WORDS & IMAGES KATHY PATERSON

Alongside lemons, oranges are invaluable in my kitchen. The finely grated zest of an orange adds heaps of flavour, so always try to zest the skin before peeling. Eat grated orange as soon as possible though, as it will quickly deteriorate without its protective rind.

ROASTED PUMPKIN WITH ORANGE AND AJILLO

ORANGE, CARROT AND RADISH SALAD

Ajillo is the magic condiment used in dishes in the Spanish-speaking world. Ajillo gives a lift to many dishes so keep a jar in the fridge. It stores well.

SERVES 4

1kg pumpkin, skin on, cut into about 5cm wedges ½ cup orange juice 1 tsp ground cinnamon, or use a small piece of cinnamon quill a good splash of olive oil

AJILLO 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped A good handful of flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

To make the ajillo, put the olive oil in a small bowl and, using a fork, whisk in the garlic and parsley. Cover and keep in the fridge.

Heat the oven to 190°C. Line a large roasting tray with baking paper.

Put the pumpkin in a large bowl. Add the orange juice, cinnamon and oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat each piece of pumpkin. Tip out onto the tray in a single layer.

Put in the oven and roast pumpkin for about 40–50 minutes until tender. This will depend on the pumpkin you use, so check if tender with the point of a sharp knife.

Arrange the pumpkin on a serving plate and dollop with the ajillo.

Tip – Use this roasted pumpkin to make a soup. Roasting concentrates the flavour and texture and adds deep caramelised notes to your soup.

Serve as part of a shared meal or I like to begin a meal with this salad. Cut carrots into paper-thin rounds with a sharp knife or if you have one, use a mandolin.

SERVES 4

4 oranges 2 medium carrots, scrubbed or lightly peeled 2 radishes, trimmed juice of ½ an orange and lemon 1 tbsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground white pepper

Cut the top and bottom off the oranges. Cut off the skin with a knife, leaving no white pith remaining. Slice the oranges as thin as you can, layering into a shallow serving bowl or flat plate as you go. Cut the carrots into thin slices and scatter over the orange slices. Cut the radishes into thin slices then into fine shreds and scatter over.

Drizzle salad with the orange and lemon juice, sherry vinegar and oil. Season with a little salt and freshly ground white pepper.

ORANGE AND ORANGE MARMALADE CAKE

A butter cake perfect for icing. You can make a half quantity of the icing and just ice the top and sides of the cake, if you prefer. Decorate with orange slices and any extra slices can be eaten with the cake.

SERVES 8–10

200g butter 1 cup caster sugar 3 large eggs 2 tbsp orange marmalade 1½ cups plain flour pinch of salt 2 tsp baking powder ¼ cup full cream milk finely grated zest of 1 orange

ICING AND DECORATING

400g full fat cream cheese 150–175ml cream ½ cup icing sugar finely grated zest of 2 oranges juice of ½ an orange a few small mint leaves extra 1 orange for zest, optional

Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer to low speed and add the marmalade. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Remaining on low speed, add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk. Mix until just combined then repeat with remaining flour and milk.

Fold in the orange zest and spoon into the prepared tin. Smooth the top. Put in the oven and bake for 45 minutes until springy to the touch or insert a skewer in the centre of the cake. It should come out clean.

Remove from the tin while still warm and cool on a wire rack.

MAKE THE ICING

Beat the cream cheese, adding the cream until smooth and spreadable. Add the icing sugar and orange juice and beat until smooth. Fold through the orange zest, leaving it a little marbled through the mixture.

DECORATE THE CAKE

Split the cake in half horizontally. Use one part of the icing to sandwich the cake together, then cover the top and sides with the remainder. Remove the remaining peel and pith from the grated oranges (including the remaining ½ orange) and slice thinly. Arrange as many as you like on top of the cake (the more you add, I find the harder the cake is to cut!). Scatter over a few mint leaves and finely grate over the zest of an orange, if using.

Kathy Paterson

Kathy Paterson is a recipe developer, food stylist and photographer. A plentiful herb garden and a trial and error vegetable garden give Kathy the starting place for her recipes along with her love of the classics with a modern twist.

www.kathypaterson.co.nz