Poached Oranges with Solerno Liqueur

This is the time of year for feasts, really big feasts, but even the grand gourmands among us need a respite. If you are looking for a light but elegant dessert to close your holiday meal, try this most typical Italian dessert. Poached oranges, chilled, served in their syrup and topped with candied orange peel and Solerno are a snap to make, and can be made the day before you plan to serve them. What more could you possibly ask for? Oh, and about the Solerno – my favorite orange liqueur, it is distilled from Sicilian blood oranges and is just perfect here, its clean citrus flavor and alcoholic bite tempering the sweetness of the sugar syrup. If you do not have any Solerno, substitute Gran Marnier, Triple Sec or Cointreau.

Select well formed, unblemished medium size Navel or Valencia oranges. If you like, you can use blood oranges, arance rosse. Before you buy the oranges, ask the greengrocer to cut one open. This year I have found that the flesh of many Navel and Valencia oranges is anemic in appearance, just not bright and vibrant. My advice, try before you buy. You must also inspect the skin of the fruit for blemishes as this is what you will use to make your own candied orange peel. You heard me right. Your own candied orange peel. If you opt for blood oranges for this dessert, use the peel of Navel or Valencia oranges for candying; the peel of the blood oranges is just too coarse.

This dessert is all about presentation. Plan on one orange per serving. I like to serve poached oranges whole, but you can serve slices or meticulously filleted segments. All are equally delicious, and presented on a glass pedestal plate topped with candied zest, syrup and Solerno make a striking and welcome close to a holiday repast.

Poached Oranges with Solerno Liqueur

1 medium orange per serving
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon corn syrup
Solerno liqueur, 1 to 2 tablespoons per serving

Place sugar, water and corn syrup in medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Be certain you have dissolved all the sugar to guard against grittiness in the syrup. Thicken syrup by boiling 3 minutes. Decrease heat to a very gentle simmer.

Prepare the oranges. With a sharp paring knife cut a slice from the bottom of the orange making a stable platform on which the orange can stand as your remove the skin and pith. Next, remove the skin for the candied orange peel. Starting at the top of the orange, draw your knife down the fruit removing strips of peel ½ to 3/4 inches wide. Remove only the peel, leaving the white pith behind. Set peel aside.

Meanwhile, using the cutting technique described above, prepare the oranges, this time removing the remaining peel and all the bitter white pith to expose the flesh of the orange. There will be some waste – there is no getting around that. Be as careful as you can, and try to maintain the integrity of the orb that is the object of your attention. After you have peeled the oranges you can either leave them whole, cut them into ½ inch slices or carefully fillet them by removing the segments, discarding the membrane. Pour any accumulated juice into the syrup.

Maintain heat at a bare simmer. Carefully submerge oranges in syrup and poach about 3 minutes, spooning syrup over oranges and turning once if oranges are not completely covered. With a spider or slotted spoon remove oranges to storage container.

While oranges poach, prepare the peel for candying. Gather the slices and cut the ends and sides to make straight edges. Cut lengthwise into 1/8 inch strips. Even candied peel can be bitter, but you can remove the bitterness with the quick and simple step of blanching. To blanch, place peel in a small saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, and discard water, reserving peel. Repeat twice more.

Candy the slices of peel by very gently simmering in the sugar syrup until softened and malleable, about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour syrup and candied peel into container with oranges. Cool briefly and cover tightly with plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up 24 hours.

To serve, arrange chilled oranges on platter or footed serving plate, spooning a few tablespoons of syrup over oranges. Drizzle 1or 2 tablespoons of Solerno over each orange, and top with candied peel. If you are serving the oranges whole, provide knife and fork.

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