Blood Oranges in Spiced Caramel Sauce

Originally from Sicily, blood oranges have a beautiful red interior and are juicy and sweeter than your everyday orange. The blood orange gets its color from a pigment know as anthocyanin which is more commonly found in red fruits and flowers.Depending on the variety, not only is the inside dark, but the outside can have dark blushes of red.

The three main varieties are the Moro which is grown in San Diego, California, the Sanguigno and the Tarocco. In the US, the blood orange season is available almost year-round with the Texas crop from December to March and the California crop from November to May.

Blood orange juice makes a beautiful cocktail with its dark red color and can be used in the same way as common oranges in other dishes such as salads, sorbets, granitas and compotes.

Blood Oranges in Spiced Caramel Sauce is an easy compote to put together and can be served over cake with candied pistachios and whipped cream or eaten just as a simple fruit dessert.The orange compote would be a colorful dish as part of a brunch. Shown in the photo above is the striking difference between blood oranges and navel oranges.















Blood Oranges in Spiced Caramel Syrup
Adapted From Gourmet's Sweets-Desserts for Every Occasion

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
two 3-inch cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole allspice
3 tablespoons dark rum

In a dry saucepan, cook sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork until melted. Cook caramel without stirring, swirling pan, until it turns a golden caramel, taking care not to burn the caramel as it turns very fast. Remove pan from heat and slowly add water down the side of the pan. The caramel will bubble up. Stir in the spices; return to heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until caramel is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Simmer 5 minutes. Set aside while preparing the blood oranges.

Using a sharp knife, peel and pith oranges and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Transfer to large bowl and pour caramel sauce over them. Macerate oranges, covered and chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves 6.


For further reading and other recipes using blood oranges, check out Gourmet Sleuth.