3 ways to use oranges, including for steak or a salad

It is easy to be confused about what citrus is in season when, as there are limes, lemons and oranges in markets year-round.

This is true of a lot of foods these days, of course, but citrus fares better than many foods that must travel. Certain fruits, especially tomatoes, apricots and other stone fruit and melons, are a shadow of themselves when they are picked for travel instead of flavor.

Citrus stores well and keeps longer than fragile spring and summer fruits. It thrives in cooler weather, though it can be damaged by a hard freeze. Citrus is at its best from about November through April. (Yes, some local Meyer lemon trees produce year-round or nearly so, but overall, they are exceptions not the norm.)

One variety of orange, the beautiful Cara Cara, has become increasingly popular, and I’ve noticed some confusion about it on social media and at markets. This orange, with its pale red flesh, is a type of navel orange. Its flavor is sweeter than most other oranges, and its texture is rich and satisfying.

Cara Caras are sometimes thought to be a cross with ruby red grapefruit or blood oranges. Some sources say it is the result of a natural mutation in an orchard in Washington state. Other sources say it originated in Venezuela. Regardless of its genesis, California is now the country’s leading producer of Cara Cara oranges.

Locally, Cara Caras have been available at our farmers markets and local grocery stores since late fall and should be available through the end of April. They make excellent juice; I like to combine them with blood orange juice. I fill a glass about two-thirds full with Cara Cara juice and then add blood orange juice and watch as the deeper scarlet color merges with the pale red juice. It’s beautiful and delicious.

A friend whose parents were from Sicily made this salad for me decades ago, and I have been making it ever since. My friend’s father lived on his own until he was in his 90s and made this salad every day, eating it at dinner with a small steak and a glass of red wine. Enjoy it before or after a meal or on its own, whenever you feel like it.

Sicilian Orange Salad

Serve 4

5 oranges, preferably Cara Cara or a mix of Cara Cara and blood oranges

Olio nuovo or best-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Black pepper in a mill

Maldon sea salt or Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Use a sharp knife to slice off the ends of the oranges. Set the oranges, one at a time, on a work surface and use a sharp knife to remove the peel and pith, cutting from one end to the other and following the curve of the fruit. Continue until all the oranges are peeled.

Set individual plates nearby.

Cut each peeled orange into ¼-inch-thick rounds, removing any seeds. As you cut, transfer the slices to the plates, arranging them in a circle on each plate.

Drizzle olive oil over the oranges, followed by several very generous turns of black pepper. Sprinkle with salt and enjoy.

Variations:

Cut a small red onion into very thin rounds and tuck a few slices here and there between the oranges.

Use a vegetable peeler to make curls of a hard cheese — Vella Dry Jack, Valley Ford Estero Gold, Parmigiano-Reggiano — and scatter a few curls over the oranges after adding the salt.

Remove the pits of a dozen or so green olives such as Picholine, cut them in half lengthwise and scatter over the oranges after seasoning with salt.

Add a mound of small-leaf arugula in the center of each serving, before dressing the salad. The contrast between the sweet oranges and bitter greens is wonderful.

As asparagus season kicks in, it’s a great idea to have this technique perfected, which is quite easy to do. Simply roast the asparagus in a very hot oven after lubricating them with a bit of olive oil. The flavors blossom and are concentrated rather than diluted, as they are when boiled or steamed. You don’t need to peel the spears with this technique, either. This dish makes a lovely spring lunch, brunch or elegant first course.

Oven-Roasted Asparagus with Orange Bearnaise

Serves 2 to 3

1 ½ pounds fresh fat asparagus, tough stems broken off

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Orange Bearnaise (recipe follows)

Orange wedges

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Put the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with just a bit of olive oil, turn gently to coat each spear, season with salt and set on the middle rack of the oven. Cook until the asparagus is tender, from 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks.

While the asparagus cooks, make the sauce.

To serve, divide the asparagus between individual plates, spoon sauce on top, garnish with orange wedges and enjoy right away.

Variation: Top each serving with a lightly (2 to 2 ½ minutes in boiling acidulated water) poached egg and a bit of coarse salt.

Orange Bearnaise

Makes about ⅔ cup

2 jumbo egg yolks

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

Kosher salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon slices, chilled

1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon

Grated zest of 1 orange

Pinch of cayenne

Fill the bottom of a double boiler half full with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the water simmers very slowly.

Put the egg yolks, vinegar and orange juice into the top of a double boiler and season with salt. Set over the simmering water.

Using a sturdy whisk, beat the eggs for about 5 minutes, during which they should become hot but not too hot or they will form clumps and you will have to discard them and start again.

Gradually, the egg mixture will become thick and creamy and you’ll be able to see the bottom of the saucepan as the whisk moves through the egg yolks.

At this point, begin to add butter, a tablespoon at a time, whisking thoroughly between additions and continuing until you have used all the butter.

Transfer the top of the double boiler to a work surface and fold in the tarragon, zest and cayenne. Use right away.

This dish is inspired by the flavors of traditional teriyaki and the orange slices that often accompany it in restaurants. You also can use this sauce with chicken or pork tenderloin.

Grilled Flank Steak with Teriyaki-Inspired Sauce

Serves 3 to 4

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup dry sherry or Madeira

Grated zest of 2 oranges

¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

¼ cup brown sugar, plus more to taste

6 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon chipotle powder or ground cayenne

1 ½ pounds flank steak

1 tablespoon butter

3 green onions, trimmed and very thinly sliced

Orange slices

Steamed rice

Combine the soy sauce, sherry or Madeira, orange zest, orange juice, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and chipotle or cayenne in a small saucepan set over medium heat. When the mixture boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Cut the steaks into 4 pieces and put them into freezer bags. Reserve about a third of the sauce and pour the rest into the bag with the meat. Squeeze out the air, seal tightly and massage a bit to fully coat the meat with sauce. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and as long as overnight.

Refrigerate the remaining sauce.

To finish, remove the meat and sauce from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Remove the steaks from the bag.

Heat a stovetop or outdoor grill and when it is hot, cook the steak for about 90 seconds and then rotate it 90 degrees. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn, cook for 90 seconds and rotate 90 degrees. This rotation creates attractive grill marks on the meat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more for medium-rare; transfer the steak to a platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

While the steak rests, heat the reserved sauce, add the butter and swirl until it is just melted. Remove from the heat and pour into a sauce boat or small pitcher.

Using a very sharp knife, slice the meat into ⅛-inch-thick slices, cutting at a sharp angle. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle the green onions over the top. Garnish with orange slices and serve immediately, with rice and the remaining sauce alongside.

Michele Anna Jordan is the author of 24 books to date, including “California Home Cooking.” Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.