It’s time to celebrate citrus season as oranges, lemons and limes are at their best now …
There’s something about February that makes it feel like winter might never end. But instead of letting the short days and long nights drain what’s left of my serotonin, I’ve decided to embrace the season and focus on the good things about the tail-end of the cold weather (though I do remember it snowing in April once). For me, this means making the most of not stepping outside on Sundays, washing my jumpers for (hopefully) their final wears, and always keeping a fruit bowl piled high with easy peelers, lemons, oranges, blood oranges and grapefruit to celebrate citrus season while it’s here.
“Most of us associate the fresh flavours and colours of citrus with summer – those orange, pink and yellow tones that match sunsets and hot weather. But it’s now, in winter, that they’re at their best.”
Blood oranges, for example, reach peak sweetness in January and February. The dramatic drop in temperature during Mediterranean nights, following warm winter days, transforms their fresh into a deep red or vivid orange streaked with crimson. Their season ends in March, so even though they might be expensive, treat yourself to just one and make Theo Kirwan’s (owner of Sprout, Dublin) Blood Orange and Burrata Salad from his cookbook Saladology – or some margaritas.
Citrus is something I couldn’t live without. Not a day goes by without me using a lemon, snacking on an easy peeler or sprinkling a grapefruit with brown sugar to eat with a teaspoon. It would be my desert island request – unlimited citrus. I could make ceviche with the fish I caught, wash my clothes, stay in good health with vitamin C and even attempt to smell good!
“I’d rather have a bowl full of leafy lemons and oranges on the table than flowers in the house at this time of year.”
I’ve had a longstanding obsession with citrus. When I was young, we spent long stretches in a tiny house in the hills of Fornalutx, Mallorca, where my dad grew up. The house had just four rooms: a tiny kitchen/living area, two small bedrooms, one of which my two sisters and I shared, dorm-style, and a loo (the shower was outside). It was nestled in a forest of lemon and orange trees where we’d spend our days under their shade, picking lemons straight from the branches to squeeze over barbecued fish for lunch.
Now, my parents have just one orange tree and one lemon tree in their garden near Palma, which manages to supply them year-round – and fills my handbag a few times a year. Free big leafy lemons never get old, especially since I’m always overbuying them here in Dublin. Every time I leave the house, I ask, “Do we have lemons at home?” Regardless of the answer, I buy more.
Most citrus-based recipes are sweet: marmalade, lemon tart or curd all have quite lengthy methods that require setting or baking. Instead, I prefer using citrus fruits for savoury dishes. Last weekend, instead of making my usual roast chicken, I marinated it in orange, lime and garlic, then once roasted, I added chilli, a little more orange, and lemon juice to the chicken juices, then poured it over a platter of the carved chicken with a mountain of mint, basil, and chopped chives. I served it with some simple boiled potatoes, and it was exactly the fresh dish I needed. Marinating it in citrus tenderises the meat – not only was it packed with flavour, but perfectly cooked too. Comforting, simple, fresh and something different.
“I’m not saying that using more citrus will magically wish away winter, but it does make these gloomy months a little more bearable – and maybe deter a common cold too.”
This month, in THE GLOSS February issue and in my newsletter, I’ve written a recipe for green beans with a hot, buttery orange dressing. It’s nothing fancy or complicated, but it’s been on the table a few times alongside grilled chicken, fish, and even just jarred tuna and new potatoes as a desk lunch. It’s a good reminder that just a squeeze of a tangerine into melted butter to pour over vegetables or meat is like adding a splash of colour to a dull winter outfit. It’s that little bit of brightness we all need in February. @kittycoles
TIPS ON CITRUS
Timing is everything: Add freshly squeezed juice to sauces, stews or soups only after the heat is off to avoid bitterness and strange flavours.
It’s not just about flavour: Citrus juice can stabilise egg whites for fluffier meringues, balance sweetness in desserts and activate natural pectin to set jams.
Watch out for seeds: Remove them if cooking with whole lemons as they can make dishes bitter.
Don’t waste it: Toss used lemon halves into your dishwasher. The acidity helps cut grease and leaves your glasses sparkling.