Welcome to the colourful world of citrus, where tangy grapefruits and lush oranges brighten even the coldest days.

Jan Ellis pudding with citrus and brandy 

Makes 1x 25-30 cm pudding

You can omit the brandy for a less boozy pudding. 

Ingredients

2 tbsp (30g) butter, softened
½ cup (100g) sugar
2 eggs, whisked
2 tbsp (30ml) orange marmalade
½ cup (125ml) milk
1 tbsp (5ml) bicarbonate of soda
1½ cups (350g) self-raising flour
Pinch salt 
Pinch nutmeg 
Custard or vanilla ice cream, for serving  

For the brandy syrup  

1 cup (250ml) boiling water
1 cup (250ml) cream
1 cup (250ml) butter 
1 cup ((250m) sugar
½ cup (80ml) brandy 
2 tsp (10ml) vanilla essence  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Cream butter and sugar until pale. 
3. Add eggs and mix well. 
4. Whisk in jam and marmalade.
5. Combine milk and bicarbonate of soda, then mix until dissolved. 
6. Add milk to egg mixture and mix well. 
7. Mix dry ingredients and add to wet mixture until smooth and well combined. 
8. Pour batter into a greased 25-30cm oven dish and bake for 25-30 minutes. 
9. While pudding is in the oven, combine all ingredients for the brandy syrup over medium heat. 
10. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes. 
11. Pour syrup over pudding as soon as it comes out the oven. 
12. Serve with custard or vanilla ice cream if you like.

Roasted beetroot and citrus salad 

Serves 4  

Vibrant and refreshing, this is the perfect accompaniment to any winter roast. 

Ingredients

200g baby beetroot, quartered 
Salt and milled pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
200g baby pak choi, blanched
4 spring onions, shaved 
3 radishes, thinly sliced
2 grapefruit, 1 sliced and 1 segmented 
2 oranges, 1 sliced and 1 segmented 
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds, for serving  

For the dressing  

¼ cup olive oil
1 orange, zested and juiced
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
½ small shallot or ¼ red onion, finely chopped
3cm knob ginger, grated
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Arrange beetroot on a baking tray, season and drizzle with oil. 
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. 
4. Arrange pak choi, spring onion, radish, grapefruit, oranges and beetroot on a platter.
5. Combine the dressing ingredients.
6. Serve salad drizzled with dressing and sesame seeds.

Honey, soy and grapefruit pork with slaw 

Serves 4  

Sticky, sweet and tart, citrus pairs brilliantly with the richness of pork. 

Ingredients

¼ each soy sauce, honey and strained grapefruit juice
Salt and milled 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
3-4 Tbsp plain yoghurt or mayonnaise (optional)
1 Tbsp olive oil  

Method

1. Heat oven grill on high. 
2. Whisk together soy sauce, honey and grapefruit juice. Season pork rashers and marinate in soy sauce mixture for 15-30 minutes. 
3. Place pork on a lined baking tray and grill for 15 minutes, turning over regularly. Remove from oven and set aside. 
4. Shred celery, fennel, apples and cabbage. Toss with grapefruit and coriander.
5. Stir through yoghurt or mayonnaise, if using.
6. Heat oil in a pan and retook rashers (reserving the marinade) until caramelised.
7. Add marinade to pan and reduce until sticky. Serve pork on slaw.

Upside-down rosemary & citrus cakes

Makes 24  

The sweet and tangy treat everyone will request again and again! 

Ingredients

1 cup (250ml) brown sugar
1 cup (250m1) orange juice 
2 sprigs rosemary
1 vanilla pod, sliced  

For the cake 

2 small oranges, unpeeled and sliced
1⅕ cups (300g) butter, softened
1⅕ cups (300g) caster sugar 
5 eggs 
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence
2 cups (300g) self-raising flour, sieved
Pinch salt
Mint, to garish 

Method

1. Heat brown sugar, orange juice, rosemary and vanilla in a pan over medium heat. 
2. Reduce heat and leave to infuse. 
3. Preheat oven to 180 C. Spray two regular 12-cup muffin pans with some non-stick spray.
4. Place orange slices at the base of each muffin cup.
5. Cream butter and sugar with an electric beater until pale and fluffy.
6. Add eggs one by one while whisking continuously (make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next addition).
7. Mix through vanilla, then fold in flour and salt.
8. Spoon batter into muffin cups until two-thirds full.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool cakes in muffin pan. 
10. Remove rosemary sprigs from syrup and reheat.
11. Pour hot syrup over the cakes and carefully turn out on a plate.
12. Garnish with mint and serve

By: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine

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