8 ways with citrus

Winter is the time for citrus. Mandarins are cheap, lemons are in abundance and grapefruit are scattered over the footpaths.

But going by the 2,867 tonnes of citrus that Kiwis are sending to the landfill each year, we don’t realise just how versatile citrus can be.

The good thing about citrus is that if you keep them in the fridge, they should last for a couple of weeks. If that’s not enough time to eat through them all, we’ve got some ideas on how else you can make the most of them.

Cordial

Who doesn’t like a cold glass of cordial on a hot day? Make a batch or two now to enjoy in summer.

Chocolate Dipped Candied Citrus

These chocolate dipped candied citrus taste as good as they sound. Whip up a batch for the perfect little sweet treat.

Preserved Lemons

If your lemon tree is sagging under the weight of the fruit, make these easy preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are a great addition to many meals. They are often used in Middle Eastern cooking and add a subtle lemon flavour to stews, tagines, pastas and salads.

Microwave Citrus Curd

This easy microwave curd can be made with any sort of citrus. You may want to adjust the sugar depending on the citrus you are using.

Roasted Vegetable Salad With Orange Dressing

Oranges and walnuts transfer this roasted vegetable salad into something special.

Mixed Citrus Salad

Cut it all up and mix it together to make this citrus salad that will give you a mighty dose of vitamin C!

Mandarin Jaffa Cakes

The secret to these delicious mandarin jaffa cakes is to use the whole mandarin – skin and all.

Marmalade

Making marmalade is a traditional way to preserve citrus. This recipe can be made using any type of citrus.

Freeze it

Citrus can be frozen for later use. You can freeze the fruit whole, then just grate the zest as you need it. Defrost the fruit to squeeze it when you need the juice, then compost the fruit once you are done.

If you want lemon slices for your summer drinks, cut them and freeze them on a tray in the freezer. Once they are frozen, bag them and they’ll be ready the next time a G&T is calling.

To keep the juice, squeeze it into ice cube trays and freeze. This works especially well for lemon and limes when you may only need a small amount for a recipe.

Zest can be grated and frozen in small portions for when you need it.