Winter has arrived and so has citrus season! Get your dose of vitamin C by exploring the flavours of oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes and more. The MK team whips up a batch of savoury and sweet dishes that pack a zingy punch.  

Grapefruit, honey and soy pork with slaw 

Serves 4 • Total Time 45 Min 

Ingredients

¼ cup soy sauce  
¼ cup honey 
¼ cup strained fresh grapefruit juice  
Salt and freshly milled black pepper  
8 boneless pork rashers  
1 stalk celery  
1 bulb fennel  
2 Granny Smith apples  
¼ head green cabbage  
1 grapefruit, segmented  
Handful fresh coriander, chopped  
1 avocado, cubed 
3-4 Tbsp mayonnaise or plain yoghurt 
1 Tbsp olive oil  

 

Method

1. Preheat oven grill. 
2. Whisk together soy sauce, honey and grapefruit juice. 
3. Season pork rashers and marinate in soy sauce mixture for 15-30 minutes. 
4. Place pork on a lined baking tray and grill for 20 minutes, turning over regularly. Remove from the oven and set aside. 
5. Finely shred celery, fennel, apples and cabbage. 
6. Place in a bowl and toss through grapefruit segments, coriander and avocado. 
7. Stir through mayonnaise or yoghurt and season to taste. 
8. Plate slaw on a platter, top with pork rashers and drizzle with the marinade reduction.

Chef’s Tip
If loadshedding strikes at supper time, simply thread the pork rashers onto skewers and cook over the coals.  

  

Fennel and citrus roasted chicken thighs 

Serves 4 • Total Time 1 Hr 20 Min 

Ingredients

2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted  
2 cloves garlic, chopped  
½ orange, zested and juiced 
½ lemon, zested and juiced  
Salt and milled black pepper  
8 chicken thighs  
2 Tbsp olive oil  
400g baby fennel bulbs  
1 orange, sliced in rounds  
1 grapefruit, sliced in rounds  
1 lemon, sliced in rounds 
2 Tbsp brown sugar  
500g baby potatoes, halved and parboiled  
300g Brussels sprouts, halved  
¼ cup cultured cream or sour cream  
1 Tbsp chopped fennel or dill  

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Crush fennel seeds, garlic and citrus zest using a pestle and mortar. 
3. Season chicken and rub with oil and fennel-citrus mixture. 
4. Arrange fennel bulbs and citrus slices on a greased baking tray. 
5. Place chicken on top and pour over citrus juice. 
6. Sprinkle with sugar and roast for 15 minutes, basting regularly with pan juices. 
7. Add potatoes and roast for another 10 minutes. 
8. Add Brussels sprouts and roast for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 
9. Mix cultured cream and herb fronds together in a bowl. Season. 
10. Serve chicken and vegetables topped with herby cultured cream.

 

Crumpets with caramelised banana and orange icing 

Makes 15-20 • Total Time 45 Min  

 

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUMPETS  

2 cups sifted cake flour  
2 tsp baking powder 
Pinch of salt  
2 eggs  
2 cups milk  
1 tsp vanilla essence  
2 Tbsp melted butter  
Oil or butter, for frying  
1 Tbsp butter  
2 Tbsp brown sugar
3-4 bananas, peeled and halved  
½ orange, zested and juiced  
1/3 cup icing sugar  
Handful pecans, toasted and chopped  

 

Method

1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. 
2. Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and melted butter in a jug. 
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well until smooth. 
4. Heat some oil or butter in a large pan over medium-low heat. 
5. Place three round 9cm cookie cutters sprayed with non-stick spray in pan and pour ¾ cup batter into each. 
6. Cook for 1-2 minutes until golden, remove cutters and flip to cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. 
7. Heat butter in a separate pan until foaming. 
8. Add brown sugar then bananas and fry for 4-5 minutes until well browned but still firm. Set aside. 
9. Combine orange zest and juice with icing sugar and whisk together until smooth. 
10. Pile crumpets onto plates, top with caramelised banana, drizzle with citrus icing and top with chopped pecans. 

 

Citrus and rosemary yoghurt cake 

Serves 10-12 • Total Time 1 Hr 30 Min 

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE  

¾ cup butter, softened  
10g fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish  
3 eggs, whisked  
1 orange or grapefruit, juiced  
1 cup double-cream plain yoghurt  
1 ½ cups castor sugar  
2 cups cake flour  
2 tsp baking powder  
Citrus slices, for serving  

FOR THE ICING  

1 cup icing sugar  
3 Tbsp milk  
1 Tbsp orange or grapefruit zest  
2 tsp chopped rosemary  

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Melt butter in a saucepan and add rosemary. Remove from heat and cover with a lid and infuse for five minutes. Discard rosemary and allow butter to cool. 
3. Whisk together cooled butter, eggs, citrus juice and yoghurt. 
4. Add sugar, flour and baking powder. Mix well. 
5. Pour batter into a large greased Bundt tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in tin. 
6. Whisk together icing ingredients to create a smooth and thick icing. 
7. Drizzle cake with icing, and garnish with fresh citrus slices and fresh rosemary to serve. 

Chef’s Tip 
We used a 23cm Bundt tin, but a regular cake, loaf or muffin tin will work too. Be sure not to fill tin more than ¾ full and keep an eye on it as baking times will vary.