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Show i i I "MHRllfelllbltair -u I Or , . 'V . 1 V I ... . r L. . . - - , - - -.sj , J he middle of winter. The holidays are over. You're probably ready to escape to sunny beaches with warm breezes, cool drinks and light, tropical fare. If you can't travel to the sunshine, at least you can get a taste of it. Florida cooking is one of the hottest regional cooking trends in the U.S. By combining the Caribbean influence of spicy, tropical dishes with fresh local ingredients, Florida cooking bursti with flavor and is the perfect alternative to traditionally heavy winter meals. Count on new Florida cooking for easy preparation and ) easy-to-find ingredients that are light and healthy. Fresh Florida oranges and grapefruit are at their peak availability during the winter, with primary shipping months from December through May. Dan Gunter, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus, notes that there will be plenty of good citrus to choose from this year. "Florida has a quality crop this year, and fresh Florida citrus and citrus juices are a good value for consumers." When shopping for Florida oranges, you may notice they sometimes have a yellow-orange or yellow-green peel, which is a result of the state's subtropical climate; but inside, they are always orange, juicy and delicious. Oranges from the Sunshine State are never picked until ' they're ripe. They may have some blemishes or wind scars from gentle winds blowing the branches against the fruit, but this does not affect the quality found inside. When selecting an orange, check to be sure it's firm to the touch, with no soft spots. The heavier it is for its size, the juicier it tends to be. Because Florida oranges are the juiciest oranges you can buy, think of them as "cutting" oranges, as opposed to "peeling" oranges, which come from more arid climates. By following the tips located in the box below, you can create simple, unique ways to enjoy fresh Florida oranges. In addition to providing a tasty escape from traditional winter fare, these recipes also will help you "Strive for 5." ! The National Research Council recommends that Americans eat five servings each day of fruits and i . vegetables, especially green and yellow vegetables and citrus. So try these easy-to-prepare recipes, and take a healthy, out-of-the-ordinary escape to the taste of sunshine! MMMTED CRO(f PER uitk ORAfiqE-OMOfi CONFtr Va cup fresh orange juice Va cup chopped fresh chives 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 garlic clove, crushed Vi teaspoon salt v Va teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Wi pounds grouper fillets IVi tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion cut Into "4-inch slices 12 strips orange zest, (4 x Vi-inch) Fresh chives, garnish Florida orange slices, garnish In a shallow pie plate, combine orange juice, chives, grated orange zest, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Add grouper and coat completely with marinade. Refrigerate covered, and marinate 30 minutes. Heat oven to 425F. In a baking pan, combine oil, onion and strips of orange zest. Roast until onions begin to brown, stirring once, about 25 minutes. Add grouper with marinade, pushing onion mixture to one side of pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish is just cooked through in center. Garnish with fresh chives and orange slices. Makes 4 servings. NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING: 229 calories, 7g (28) total fat, 313mg sodium, 59mg cholesterol, 9g carbohydrate, 32g protein, 1.4g dietary fiber OR A, '(jROlE 'PDPFVSEED CAKE Fine dry bread crumbs 3 tablespoons orange juice 2 tablespoons grated orange zest 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda Vi teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter or margarine 2 cups sugar 3 large eggs 1 cup buttermilk Vi cup poppyseeds Orange Glaze (recipe follows) Heat oven to 325F. Butter a 10-inch tube or bundt pan. Sprinkle with fine dry bread crumbs, shaking off excess. In a small bowl, combine orange juice and orange zest. On a piece of waxed paper, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until incorporated. Beat in the flour mixture, alternately with -i the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until batter is j.mooth. Stir in orange juice, zest and poppyseeds. Turn into prepared pan. Bake one hour until cake tester inserted into cake is dry. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes while preparing glaze. Invert cake on wire rack to cool completely. Makes one 10-inch cake. Serves 14. ORANGE qtAZE 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 cup confectioners sugar In a small bowl, combine the juice and sugar, stirring until smooth. Drizzle cooled cake with orange glaze. NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING: 380 calories, 16g (38) total fat, 214mg sodium, 95mg cholesterol, 56g carbohydrate, 5g protein, 0.7g dietary fiber MIXED CFFRCfSSAiAD ' cuitk TFOPCAl 0VF lVAqFE7TE 2 Florida oranges, peeled, cut into segments' 1 pink Florida grapefruit, cut into segments 1 white Florida grapefruit, cut into segments 2 heads Belgian endive, trimmed, cut into strips 2 bunches watercress, trimmed 1 small red onion, thinly sliced Tropical Mint Vinaigrette (recipe follows) In a large bowl, combine oranges, grapefruit, endive, watercress and onion. Add vinaigrette, tossing gently to combine. Makes 6 servings. mpfCM mttrvftfAqRerrE 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon cold water 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice Va cup chopped fresh mint Vi teaspoon grated lime zest Va to Vi teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely diced In a 1 cup measure, whisk all the ingredients together to blend. Makes about Vi cup. NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING: 82 calories, 2.5g (27) total fat, 17mg sodium, Omg cholesterol, 15g carbohydrate, 2g protein, 2.5g dietary fiber NOTE: () Gives total percentage of calories from fat, per recipe. The National Research Council recommends that the U.S. diet not exceed 30 percent of calories from fat. i Florida Citrus: Simple and Delicious No Matter How You Slice It mWESTCDOtER 2 cups cold orange Juice Va cup frozen tangerine concentrate, thawed, undiluted 2 tablespoons fresh lime Juice 6 Orange Ice Cubes (recipe follows) 1 cup cold seltzer Lime slices, garnish In a glass measuring cup, combine orange juice, tangerine concentrate and lime juice, stirring to blend. Pour into two tall glasses, dividing evenly. Add three ice cubes to each glass. Add seltzer, dividing evenly. Garnish with lime slices. Makes two 12-ounce drinks. DRAtqe ice cubes Pour 1 cup orange juice into six sections of ice cube tray and freeze. Transfer to plastic bag and store in freezer until ready to use. NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING: 205 calories, 1g (4) total fat, 8mg sodium, Omg cholesterol, 49g carbohydrate, 3g protein, 3.5g dietary fiber i i For further information on the benefits of fresh Florida oranges andor 100 pure Florida orange juice, please send an S.A.S.E. to: The Florida Department of Citrus P.O. Box 148, Dept. FF Lakeland, FL 33802-0148 r ORANGE SMILES X57 Do not peel orange. Slice orange in x half crosswise. From each half, slice diagonally to get three or four smiles as shown. Eat sections straight off the peel. Pull down on both ends, and the fruit will pop up, just waiting to be eaten. Smiles are a colorful and nutritious treat for any occasion. They travel neatly for school, office and picnic lunches. X r I GRAPEFRUIT POINTS rf Slice grapefruit in half through stem end. Take one half and dtyJ place cut side down. Cut this -) half in half (through stem end). xt Keep these halves together and t si slice the other way, across the n previous cuts. Perfect points Isf j will fall right out. Repeat with Jj!' v remaining half. i Like smiles, points are bite- 'V- size, perfectly portable, fun (J fy and easy-to-eat! (jyXS) SLICE AND EAT j4fD Make lengthwise ? T incisions by cutting I J through the rind. With V V thumb, peel back the - rind, strip by strip. Pull apart the sections and enjoy. Slicing oranges and grapefruit has never been so quick and convenient! PICTURE PERFECT SECTIONS AND ROUNDS ss20 Chill fruit before peeling. Using sharp knife, cut through rind and kNyl membrane in spiral fashion. Trim -rf-Cj$ off remaining pieces of membrane w"1"x after peeling. A. For sections, cut with sharp knife rN alongside, but not on, each dividing ?VY? membrane to core. Wedges should I VV J A' be membrane-free on all sides, with VJas. dividing membrane hidden inside each wedge. B. For round slices, start at top of B. fruit and slice through circumference. l(y:-$r- n This surprisingly simple secret of vijf ' (?-$&n removing the white pith opens up endless possibilities for enjoying tS fresh Florida citrus. Sections and rounds are ideal for dazzling salads, sweet and savory sauces, desserts and other dishes. |