Recipes: Nifty shades of orange

It's ironic that the dullness of winter brings some of our most colourful produce in varying hues of healthy orange.

All the usual suspects such as carrots, pumpkins and oranges are in the line-up, as well as apricots yams, butterkin, orange kumara and tamarillos, the last of the persimmons and imports such as the incredibly well-priced Mexican mangos.

The orange colour generally signifies high nutritional value, especially antioxidants.

BUTTERKIN WITH RICOTTA & ORECCHIETTE

INGREDIENTS

650g butterkin, peeled & seeded
3 Tbsp olive oil
flaky sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp each: cumin seeds, fennel seeds
1 1/2 cups orecchiette pasta
200g ricotta cheese
6 pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Cut the butterkin in 2.5cm cubes. Place in a roasting pan and toss together with the olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and fennel seeds. Roast for about 25 minutes - turning once - or until cooked.

Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, until just tender. Drain well, reserving a cup of the cooking water.

Add the butterkin to the pasta and more olive oil if necessary. Warm through on medium heat. Add the ricotta, olives and parsley and a little cooking water if too dry. Toss carefully.

Lightly pile into bowls to serve. - Serves 4.

SAUCY ORANGE PUD WITH COINTREAU

Best served immediately before the sauce soaks in. However, reheated leftovers taste great.

INGREDIENTS

1 large orange
1 1/2cups self-raising flour
1/2 each: cup caster sugar, milk
75g butter, melted
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 egg
Topping: 1 cups orange juice
3 Tbsp Cointreau
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cornflour

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter a deep, 8-cup ovenproof dish.

Finely grate the orange rind. Peel the orange removing all the pith. Thinly slice.

Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the caster sugar.

Place the milk, butter, maple syrup, grated orange rind and egg in a bowl. Whisk, until combined. Add to the dry ingredients, beating with a wooden spoon, until smooth.

Spread into the prepared oven dish. Overlap the orange slices on top of the batter.
Heat the orange juice and Cointreau in the microwave, until hot. Combine the brown sugar and cornflour and sprinkle evenly over the top of the orange slices.

Slowly pour the hot juice over the back of a metal spoon onto the pudding.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre. Serve immediately. - Serves 6.

GLAZED APRICOT YAMS

INGREDIENTS

500g Apricot Delight yams
410g can apricot halves in syrup
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp cornflour
pinch each: salt, ground cinnamon
1/4 cup orange juice

METHOD

Nip any little loose ends from the yams. Boil or steam for 10-15 minutes or until cooked.
Preheat the oven to 190C.

Place the yams in a lightly buttered 28cm oval baking dish. Drain the apricots reserving the syrup. Place the apricots over the yams.

Combine the sugar, cornflour, salt and cinnamon in a saucepan. Combine the syrup with enough orange juice to make of a cup. Stir into the sugar mixture and heat, stirring, until thickened. Pour over the apricots and yams.

Bake for 20 minutes, until sizzling and lightly browned. - Serves 6 as a side dish.

MANGO CAKE

INGREDIENTS

Serve warm or at room temperature as a dessert or coffee accompaniment.
1/2 cup each: sugar, canola oil
1 large egg
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground mixed spice
3/4 cup diced peeled fresh mango
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 190C. Lightly grease and line an 18cm springform cake pan with baking paper.

Beat the sugar, oil and egg in a large bowl, until creamy.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, salt and spice. Mix well. Fold in the mango and walnuts.
Pour into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes before turning onto a serving plate.

Great served with whipped cream combined with diced or mashed mango. - Serves 6.