Blood orange

The blood orange is a sweet orange with striking red to deep red flesh and a bright, sweet flavour—often with a subtle raspberry-like note. It’s brilliant in desserts and salads, and it also adds character to savoury dishes.

Latin name: Citrus × sinensis
Origin: the Mediterranean (especially Italy)

Description

Blood oranges are varieties of the sweet orange in which natural pigments (anthocyanins) create the red colour in the flesh. The intensity can range from pale blush to richly dark red, depending on the cultivar and growing conditions. The peel often looks similar to a regular orange, sometimes with a reddish flush.

In the kitchen

Blood orange is wonderful for juicing, and it looks stunning as segments or thin slices in salads—especially with fennel, rocket or beetroot. The juice works well in dressings, syrups and sorbets, while zest (only the coloured outer layer) adds extra aroma to bakes and sauces. It pairs beautifully with pistachio, almond, dark chocolate, vanilla, honey, cinnamon, ginger, olive oil, sea salt and fresh herbs like mint. The season is usually in winter, peaking in the first months of the year.

Storage & preparation

Store blood oranges cool to keep them juicy for longer. For easier juicing, let the fruit come to room temperature and roll it on the worktop first. For neat segments with less bitterness, cut away the peel and white pith, then release the segments from between the membranes. Wash the peel well if you plan to zest.