Fresh Orange Slices With Candied Zest And Pistachios Food

ORANGE PISTACHIO COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg, orange zest and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and cornstarch; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Roughly shape each portion into a 7-in. roll along the long end of a 14x8-in. sheet of waxed paper. Tightly roll waxed paper over dough, using the waxed paper to mold the dough into a smooth roll. Place waxed paper-covered roll in an airtight container; freeze 30 minutes or until firm, or refrigerate overnight. , Preheat oven to 350°. Sprinkle pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet. Unwrap and roll each roll of dough in pistachios. Cut dough crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. Place 1/2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 6-8 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Cool slightly on pan. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, orange juice and butter until smooth. Spread over cookies. If desired, sprinkle with additional pistachios. Let stand until set.

FLOURLESS ALMOND COOKIES WITH CARDAMOM, ORANGE ZEST, AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream sugar and oil in a large bowl until mixture resembles texture of wet sand, about 3 minutes. Add egg and orange zest and beat until just combined.
• Whisk almond flour, potato starch, cardamom, and salt in a medium bowl. Fold dry ingredients into oil mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.
• Spread pistachios in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Divide dough into 2 balls. Roll each ball into 1 1/2" wide logs, then roll logs in pistachios to coat; reserve remaining pistachios for decorating, if desired. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 1/2 hours.
• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Using a sharp knife, slice dough into 1/4"-thick rounds and arrange on baking sheets (about 12 per sheet). Sprinkle with reserved pistachios, pressing lightly to adhere (alternatively, drizzle with melted chocolate after cookies are baked, see below).
• Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until undersides are golden, 8-12 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks. Let 1 sheet cool completely before lining again with parchment and baking third batch.
• If you didn't sprinkle the cookies with pistachios, melt chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium pot of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between bursts, until chocolate is smooth. Drizzle cooled cookies with chocolate and let set before serving.
• Do Ahead
• Dough can be formed into logs 3 days ahead; keep chilled. Cookies can be baked 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

CANDIED ORANGE

Steps:

• Cut tops and bottoms off of the orange and score the orange into quarters, cutting down only into the peel and not into the fruit. Peel the skin and pith of the orange in large pieces, use the orange for another recipe. Cut the peel into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Put the orange peel in a large saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Then pour off the water. Repeat 1 or 2 more times depending up how assertive you want the orange peels to be. (Test kitchen liked the texture of a 3 time blanch best, it also mellowed the bitterness. But it is a matter of preference.) Remove the orange peels from the pan.
• Whisk the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes (If you took the sugar's temperature with a candy thermometer it would be at the soft thread stage, 230 to 234 degrees F.) Add the peels and simmer gently, reducing heat to retain a simmer. Cook until the peels get translucent, about 45 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the peels or you may introduce sugar crystals into the syrup. If necessary, swirl the pan to move the peels around. Drain the peels, (save the syrup for ice tea.) Roll the peels in sugar and dry on a rack, for 4 to 5 hours. Return to the sugar to store.
• Cook's Note: One way to use orange peels is to stuff a dried date with a piece of orange peel and almond, then dip the entire thing into dark chocolate.

CANDIED ORANGE ZEST

Steps:

• Heat the 1 cup of sugar and water to a boil. Add peels and simmer until they are transparent, about 12 minutes. Syrup should be thick. Remove from syrup and toss in sugar, let dry, away from humidity. Store in an airtight tin.
• TIP:
• RED ORANGES
• Use blood oranges in your favorite recipes as you would regular oranges. Taste for sweetness, you may have to add a bit more sugar in some recipes

CANDIED ORANGE ZEST FOR CRANBERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zest of 1 orange (peeled into long strips with a vegetable peeler); simmer, swirling occasionally, until zest is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a plate. Dredge zest in sugar, and thinly slice.

POACHED ORANGES WITH CANDIED ZEST AND GINGER

Steps:

• Peel ginger and halve crosswise. Cut pieces lengthwise into 1/16-inch-thick slices, then cut slices into 1/8-inch-wide julienne strips and transfer to a 2-quart heavy saucepan.
• Remove zest from 3 oranges in long wide strips with a vegetable peeler, removing any white pith from zest with a paring knife, and add to ginger in pan. Fill pan three-fourths full with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, then drain in a sieve. Return zest and ginger to pan and refill with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Drain zest and ginger. Repeat simmering with more cold water for another 10 minutes, then drain.
• Bring 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, and salt to a boil in saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add zest and ginger and gently simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until zest and ginger are completely translucent and syrup is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain candied zest and ginger in a sieve, discarding syrup.
• Meanwhile, cut 1/2 inch from top and bottom of all oranges with a sharp knife, exposing fruit at both ends. Cut peel and pith from sides (leaving no white parts) with paring knife, trimming fruit if large (but retaining orange shape) to 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches wide at middle. Discard trimmings.
• Bring wine, orange juice, 1/2 cup Grand Marnier, and remaining cup sugar to a boil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil 3 minutes. Add oranges, arranging in 1 layer, and simmer, covered with a tight-fitting lid, 10 minutes. Transfer oranges with a slotted spoon to a serving dish, inverting them (so syrup coats oranges). Add candied zest and ginger to syrup and boil over moderate heat, uncovered, until syrup is thickened and mixture is reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier.
• When oranges are cool enough to handle, cut each crosswise into thirds on a cutting board, then reassemble "whole" in serving dish. Spoon zest mixture, including syrup, over oranges, arranging zests and ginger decoratively over them. Chill oranges in serving dish until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Just before serving, spoon syrup in dish over oranges to coat. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

FRESH ORANGE SLICES WITH HONEY AND CINNAMON

Steps:

• Using small sharp knife, cut off peel and white pith from oranges. Thinly slice oranges into rounds. Arrange orange slices in shallow bowl. Combine honey, cinnamon stick, and orange flower water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until mixture comes to simmer, about 2 minutes. Pour hot syrup over oranges. Cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Sprinkle almonds over oranges. Serve cold or at room temperature.
• A flavoring extract available at liquor stores and in the liquor or specialty foods section of some supermarkets.