Caramelized Clementines Food

CARAMELIZED CLEMENTINES

Steps:

• Loosen segments of each clementine from the top without detaching from the stem end. Place in a bowl. Sprinkle on liqueur. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes. To start the sauce, bring 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring, until liquid is clear. Remove from heat; set aside. Line baking sheet with foil. To make the shards, stir remaining 2/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar is moistened. Bring to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until syrup turns a golden caramel color. Remove from heat. Pour half the caramel onto baking sheet; set aside about 30 minutes to harden. To finish the sauce, add sugar-lemon syrup to remaining caramel in pan. Simmer, stirring often, until caramel dissolves. Transfer to a bowl; cool 15 minutes. Pour over clementines. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours. Break hardened caramel into shards; store in an airtight container until ready to serve. Before serving, garnish fruit with caramel shards and pomegranate seeds.

CARAMELIZED ORANGES

Steps:

• Place cold water in a heavy-based saucepan, add the sugar and bring SLOWLY to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• (The sugar must be completely dissolved before the liquid boils.) Once the sugar is boiling, DO NOT STIR.
• Continue to boil.
• Use a pastry-brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar crystals forming on the sides of the pan, until the sugar is a rich, dark, caramel colour.
• Remove from heat and CAREFULLY add the warm water to the caramel WHICH WILL SPIT AND SPLUTTER!
• Return pan to the heat and continue stirring to dissolve the caramel in the water.
• Set aside to cool.
• Peel all the oranges, setting the peel of one aside.
• (Remove as much of the white pith as possible.) Place the peeled oranges in a bowl and pour over the caramel sauce, gently turning the fruit to cover each with sauce.
• Chill well.
• Cut the served peel into matchstick-sized pieces and cook until tender in boiling water.
• Refresh in cold water and drain.
• Sprinkle half the cooked zest over the oranges in the bowl and stir.
• Serve each chilled orange with the sauce and garnish with additional zest.
• Serves 6.