Blood Oranges… Food of the Goths?

The Morro blood orange is most commonly grown in the U.S. but the Tarocco from Sicily and Spain’s Sanguinello are also popular varietals.

The blood orange may not have the most appetizing name but its gorgeous burgundy color and amped up citrus-with-a-hint-of-raspberry flavor elevate the fruit to godly status in my winter/spring kitchen. The orange gets its name from the crimson or burgundy blush on its skin and deep red flesh and juice color.

But really, “blood” orange? The marketing folks were asleep at the wheel on this one. I remember cutting into my first blood orange with both excitement and a little horror. I had no idea what I was going to come out. Happily, I found its color was breathtaking. Since blood oranges have been cultivated in Sicily and Spain for centuries, I’d expect a more exotic, marketable name for the U.S. version — Sangria Oranges anyone?

Now that all the fanfare of the holidays, Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras are over, I can finally get excited about lightening up and adding some healthy sunshine to my dishes. Now grown in California and Texas, blood oranges can be easily found in gourmet stores and most supermarkets in this country from November to May. A little sweeter than a standard orange, the blood orange is tasty on its own but truly elevates any recipe – sweet or savory – that calls for orange.

I made blood orange mimosas for a Valentine’s Day brunch and love them mixed with spinach, julienned jicama and tossed with a champagne vinaigrette. They can be used in marmalades and in the wonderfully delicious orange pudding. Gourmet Sleuth, a great website and resource, has a nice recipe for Blood Orange Margaritas – which I think I’ll make as soon as I finish writing this!

I decided to go to the savory side and pair them with my new obsession – avocados. The combination makes for an incredibly complex salsa that pairs nicely with the grilled chicken paillards but would also work nicely over Atlantic Cod or even salmon. I tossed the leftover chicken and salsa with spinach for a nice day-after lunch.

While the name may appeal only to vampires and Goths, its fruit is surely worthy of the Gods!

A perfect blend of sweet citrus and creamy avocado amp up this chicken dish.

Recipe:  Grilled Chicken Paillard with Blood Orange and Avocado Salsa

Serves 4

For the Chicken

4 6 oz. boneless chicken, skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbl. pomegranate molasses

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the Salsa

2 blood oranges

1 Tbl. fresh squeezed lemon or blood orange juice

2 medium firm but ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and cut into ¼” dice

2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley

1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

1 tsp. pomegranate molasses

kosher salt

Prepare the Chicken

Pound each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap until about 3/8” thick. In a shallow bowl, mix together lemon juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the chicken and stir to coat, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes up to 1 hour.

Prepare the Salsa

Finely grate the zest from ½ of the orange. Peel the oranges and remove the white pith. Segment the oranges and cut into 4” pieces. Add to a bowl with 1 Tbl. lemon or orange juice, avocado, olive oil, parsley, jalapeño, pomegranate molasses and a pinch of kosher salt. Gently mix with a rubber spatchula.

Cook the Chicken

Heat ½ tbl. olive oil in a grill pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add two of the chicken breasts and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side until lightly browned and cooked through – about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Heat the remaining ½ tbl. olive oil and repeat with the last 2 chicken breasts. Serve the chicken with the salsa spooned over.

Note: You can also serve a thicker boneless, skinless chicken breast with this salsa. Just marinade for 30 minutes to 1 hour and bake in a preheated oven at 375° for 20 minutes, or until cooked through, turning after 10 minutes.

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