Seville oranges

[Jenise]

Yesterday at the market I saw, for the first time ever, Seville oranges. Right, the sour ones. Eons ago I had a recipe/dish on my mind that required them and that I wanted to try, but I never managed to find them. Now, I only remember that part but not what it was I wanted to use them for. I do have an inkling that it was something South American, though I haven't a clue why.

So I bought some, then got home and pulled out my Spanish cookbooks. Clearly, what I remember wasn't in there, my books don't even mention the oranges.

Tasted one: too sour to eat. But the peel is especially fragrant, maybe that's where the magic is.

Anyone ever use a Seville orange for anything?

[Jenise]

Okay, so I googled Seville Oranges and all I got was marmalade. Well, pretty much: there was a meringue pie and a sorbet too amidst the 84 marmalades, basically nothing savory. So I went perusing on Epicurious and found the dish I remember wanting to make: Cochinita Pibil. I remember Paul W discussing it on this board. The recipe below was probably not the one discussed at the time, but it looks right.

Also found an interesting recipe in which the same filling more or less is made but entombed in a corn meal crust for a very South American take on Tamale Pie. I'm hungry!



yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
active time: 30 min
total time: 9 hours

Cochinita pibil

A popular dish in the Yucat´n, where it is traditionally cooked in a pit, cochinita pibil may be the most tender, flavorful pork...


Ingredients
6 pound boneless pork shoulder (not lean), cut into 3-inch chunks
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup fresh Seville (bitter) orange juice
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
3 tablespoons annatto (achiote) seeds
6 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled
1 large white onion, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
3 fresh or thawed frozen banana leaves

Special equipment : an electric coffee/spice grinder; a 15- by 1O-inch roasting pan (2 inches deep)

Accompaniments: habanero salsa ; warm tortillas or rice

PreparationPut pork in a large bowl and rub with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons juice.

Toast peppercorns, cumin, and allspice together, then cool slightly. Transfer to grinder along with annatto seeds and grind to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl.

Mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt using side of a large heavy knife. Add to ground spices along with oregano and remaining 6 tablespoons juice and stir to make a paste.

Toss pork with paste to coat well. Add onion and toss to combine.

Holding both ends of a banana leaf, drag leaf over a burner on moderately high heat slowly until it changes color slightly and becomes shinier, then turn over and toast other side. Toast remaining banana leaves in same manner.

Line roasting pan with leaves, shinier sides down, by arranging 1 leaf lengthwise and 2 leaves crosswise, letting excess hang over sides. Trim overhang to about 8 inches on all sides.

Transfer pork mixture to banana leaves, then fold overhang of leaves over pork to enclose completely. Cover pan tightly with foil and chill, at least 6 hours.

Put oven rack in middle position, then put pan with pork in oven and heat to 400°F (to take chill off pork gently).

Once oven has reached 400°F, bake until pork is very tender, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.

Discard foil and open banana leaves, then serve pork with salsa and tortillas.

Duck à l'Orange, Jenise!! Here, people mistakenly use sweet oranges for the sauce, but Seville oranges give you the right flavors in the dish. Make it and you'll understand why it is regarded as a classic.

Mark Lipton

Jenise,

I re-posted the cochinita pibil recipe that was in the original FLDG. I have made this (using Seville oranges) and it's delicious.

Seville oranges are hard to find in US supermarkets. My source for them is the Market Basket supermarket on Daniel Webster Highway South in Nashua, NH. This market seems to be frequented by the local Indian and Brazilian communities and stocks a lot of "unusual" produce items, including sour oranges.

-Paul W.

Duck à l'Orange, Jenise!! Here, people mistakenly use sweet oranges for the sauce, but Seville oranges give you the right flavors in the dish. Make it and you'll understand why it is regarded as a classic.

This sounds intriguing.

[Jenise]

Duck à l'Orange, Jenise!! Here, people mistakenly use sweet oranges for the sauce, but Seville oranges give you the right flavors in the dish. Make it and you'll understand why it is regarded as a classic.

Dissuaded by the sweet glazes of this dish in most restaurants, I've never made duck in orange sauce myself. You've given me good reason to reconsider! Thanks.

Duck à l'Orange, Jenise!! Here, people mistakenly use sweet oranges for the sauce, but Seville oranges give you the right flavors in the dish. Make it and you'll understand why it is regarded as a classic.

Dissuaded by the sweet glazes of this dish in most restaurants, I've never made duck in orange sauce myself. You've given me good reason to reconsider! Thanks.

Just to mount the soapbox for a moment, I'll add that this dovetails with the misuse of berries and cherries in many Germanic and French meat preparations. The Germanic use of berry sauces with venison and other game works because they use tart berries and don't add much (if any sugar); likewise, cherry sauces for duck originally made use of sour cherries. Of course, the American sweet tooth has perverted these venerable European recipes to make them all appallingly sweet.

Mark Lipton

[Jenise]

Just to mount the soapbox for a moment, I'll add that this dovetails with the misuse of berries and cherries in many Germanic and French meat preparations. The Germanic use of berry sauces with venison and other game works because they use tart berries and don't add much (if any sugar); likewise, cherry sauces for duck originally made use of sour cherries. Of course, the American sweet tooth has perverted these venerable European recipes to make them all appallingly sweet.

Mark Lipton

I know. Which makes this the perfect moment to ask why American restaurants can't serve pork without putting some jammy sweet sauce on it. Like pork isn't good enough on its own, or, like everybody likes sweet sauce on their pork where in fact neither is true.

Anyone ever use a Seville orange for anything?

The peel is indeed fragrant, and I've seen numerous beer recipes that call for including some.

I discovered Seville oranges at my local market for the first time about two months ago. I ate one and had a similar experience, whoooooo-weeeeee is that tart! Then had a genius moment as I carbonate my own water at home for bubbly water. Juiced a seville orange and added it to a very tall glass of homemade sparkling. I am now officially addicted and begin everyday with a tall such glass after my run or workout. I've never had anything more refreshing.

[Jenise]

Anyone ever use a Seville orange for anything?

The peel is indeed fragrant, and I've seen numerous beer recipes that call for including some.

I discovered Seville oranges at my local market for the first time about two months ago. I ate one and had a similar experience, whoooooo-weeeeee is that tart! Then had a genius moment as I carbonate my own water at home for bubbly water. Juiced a seville orange and added it to a very tall glass of homemade sparkling. I am now officially addicted and begin everyday with a tall such glass after my run or workout. I've never had anything more refreshing.

I drink a glass of lime or lemon water every morning first thing. Had not considered using seville orange for a change--too late for today, but tomorrow! Thanks for the idea.