Dried Citrus
Sunday, January 9, 2011
When we think of preserving, we immediately think of canning jars. But drying is an even easier way to save the season.
After making marmalade last week, I had a few spare Cara Cara navel oranges and Meyer lemons. I cut some of them into thin rounds—it's a good way to practice your knife control—and removed the zest from others in wide strips using a vegetable peeler. To dehydrate, put the rounds or peel on a rack in an oven set to the lowest possible heat. Flip the fruit every now and again until it is dry to the touch but still pliable. (Mine took 4 hours at 170 degrees.) Turn off the oven and leave the fruit inside overnight to cool and firm up, then store in an airtight container.
The rounds could be used in a braise or as a snack or to garnish a drink or to toss in a "weed salad" of dandelion, parsley leaf and sliced Asian pears. Mince the peel fine and stir it into a vinaigrette or a sauce for chicken or fish, or sprinkle the flavor flecks over wilted winter greens during or after cooking.
Reader Comments (3)
nice one!
Great use of left over oranges. They look so pretty...and so tasty!
I love to do this. One of my favorite uses for a thin slice of dried citrus is to float it in a wide cup of steaming tea. Give off a heavenly aroma! Thanks for your ideas.... your blog is one of my fave places. :)