Tag Archives: Orange

May 27, 2012 · 7:41 am

recipe goodness :: italian campari orange spritzer

Campari Orange Spritzer

Campari Orange Spritzer

You can thank my friend Sarah for turning me into a Campari sympathizer from a Campari hater. I used to adamantly decline any Campari drink — the bitterness of any such cocktail made me scrunch my nose up and shake my head like I’d just taken a bite of sour lemon. Until recently.

As we were lounging rooftop, cocktail hour became an appealing pastime and Sarah was in the mood for a Tuscan highball. She begged and pleaded for me to try this concoction. I surrendered. Enter Campari Orange Spritzer, my newfound afternoon sipper of choice. The sweetness of the FRESH squeezed orange juice {buy the real stuff if you can} goes to war on the bitter Campari and turns this combo into a refresher that goes down all too easily. The best part about it is you can make it in 30 seconds flat and the only thing you really need to think ahead to buy is the fresh OJ {providing you have a bottle of Campari and a sodastream for sparkling water on hand}.

Campari Orange Spritzer

For each drink | courtesy of Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Highball glass {that will fit 2 1/4 cups liquid + ice}
6 ice cubes {or whatever}
1/4 cup Campari
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 cups sparkling water {San Pellegrino or Sodastream}
Orange slice or strawberry for garnish

  1. Place ice cubes in a highball glass.
  2. Add Campari, Orange Juice and top with Sparkling water.
  3. Garnish with a strawberry or orange slice.

Other Cocktail O’Clock Recipes:
Alton Brown’s Bourbon Mint Julep
Bottle of Baron {Refreshing “Island Cocktail” a la Tippling Bros.}
Fresh Lime-Margarita Marinated Watermelon
Kickin’ Ancho Chili Fresh Citrus Margarita
Pink Fizzy Lemonade Cocktails Beat the Heat
Smokey Margarita {a la Tippling Bros.}
Stand-Out Spanish Sangria
Summer Strawberry Chilled Chamomile Tea {non-alcoholic}
Spritzy Sunday Morning Citrus Cocktail {non-alcoholic}

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December 21, 2011 · 9:00 am

recipe goodness :: bursting brussels sprouts with pancetta-clementine reduction

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta-Orange Reduction

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta-Orange Reduction

I can’t take credit for creating this recipe {my brother is the mastermind behind this one}, but I can attest to its deliciousness. There has been a brussels sprouts revolution over that past few years — this once polarizing veg, although cute, was often the recipient of turned up noses. Perhaps because they have the reputation of being boiled to death until taking on a soggy, grey characteristic that would have anyone using their napkin as a disposal system.

But these beautifully bright green mini-cabbages can carry some outstanding flavors when prepared properly — and by properly, I don’t mean to imply this is difficult. A little pancetta or bacon goodness, some brightening citrus and a few minutes in a pan to marry all the flavors in a caramelization collision and you have yourself a healthy, colorful side that is worthy of any dinner party.

Pancetta Rendering

Pancetta Rendering

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta-Clementine Reduction

Serves 4 | 15-20 minutes

1/3 lb pancetta, diced
2 small shallots, sliced
1.5 lbs brussels sprouts
1/2 cup fresh clementine juice + zest {can use oranges too}
Salt and pepper to taste
Pine nuts to garnish

  1.  Cut pancetta into 1/4-inch cubes and cook on low heat in a large pan to slowly render the fat, ~5-10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, wash and halve brussels sprouts, removing any hard stem from the bottom. Remove skin from shallots and slice into rings.
  3. Once pancetta starts to firm and fat becomes slightly translucent, add the shallots and cook until tender. Then add the sprouts to the pan, raise the heat to medium and season with salt and pepper {start light on the salt as the pancetta is salty and you can always add more to taste}. Cook an additional 5-7 minutes until the sprouts start to brown on the edges and become slightly tender, stirring occasionally.
  4. Squeeze and zest clementines and add to the pan, stirring to coat. Allow to cook 3-5 minutes to reduce juice and warm through.
  5. Taste and add additional salt, pepper or juice as desired. Add to a bowl and top with pine nuts.

Complete My Dinner:
Flaky Cheese Straws, As Easy As Being Barefoot
Giada’s Sweet & Sour Pork Chops
Farro Salad with Steamed Kale and Roasted Pinenuts 

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May 5, 2011 · 10:13 am

Cinco de Mayo: A Day to Celebrate Mexican Pride {and Drink}

The Fixins' for Fresh Lime Margaritas

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not the celebration of Mexican independence, but rather a day to celebrate Mexican pride and heritage. What better way than with a mariachi band and margarita. If you’re going all out and planning to have a party on your rooftop, then this is a recipe you definitely want to impress your guests with. Good grapefruit is still available at the store and, in my opinion, is a necessary component to a ‘rita rockin’ the citrus blend. Please oh please don’t buy the pre-made mix. If you’re going to make our Mexican compadres proud, get out your juicer and put a little squeeze into your spirits. Don’t be afraid, this is not that spicy, but the chili adds a depth to the drink that cuts through all that citrus and makes it truly tasty. By the way, did you know margarita means daisy in spanish? Doesn’t that just sound like a delightful name for a killer cocktail?

Ancho Chili Margarita with Fresh Lime-Orange-Grapefruit Juice

Recipe:
2 0z tequila
2 oz mixed juice {lime, orange, grapefruit, agave}
ice
kosher salt and lime slice for rim

What you Need {See below for proportions}:
1 Bottle Tequila Blanco {I find the white tequila is smoother}
1 Dried Ancho Chili
Raw Agave
Limes
Oranges
Grapefruits

Fresh Squeezed Lime, Orange, Grapefruit

People experiment with the proportions of tequila to lime juice all the time, so it’s just a matter of personal taste.  Since my recipe uses fresh squeezed juice and a little raw agave for sweetness, you don’t need to add any triple sec or cointreau. And because of the fresh juice, I like to make this one with a 1:1 proportion of tequila to fruit juice. Here’s what you can expect to get from all that squeezing {approximately}.

8 limes=8 ounces
4 juice oranges=8 ounces
1 grapefruit=7 ounces

Figure out how many total drinks you plan on making. You need 2 oz of tequila and 2 oz of juice for every drink, so multiply that to know how much you need in total of both. Here’s an example to figure out how much of everything you need to make 3 drinks for 4 people. Adjust to fit your crew!

  1. 2 hours before you plan to serve the margaritas, add one dried ancho chili to the bottle of tequila. Note: the longer this soaks, the less spicy it will get as the pepper actually breaks down in the tequila. If you don’t plan on using an entire bottle, you may want to pour the tequila over the pepper in a separate container and watch it turn a cool red hue!
  2. Juice all of your limes, oranges and grapefruits into a separate container. Add 1 tsp of agave for every 8oz of total fresh fruit juice.  Mix thoroughly and chill. Keep a few lime halves to run across the top of your glasses later to make the salt stick.
  3. Ready to drink? Run a leftover lime half around the rim of a chilled glass. Pour some kosher salt on a plate and dip the rim in the salt if desired. Fill the glass with ice.
  4. You can either use a cocktail shaker or just mix equal parts tequila and fresh fruit juice in a pitcher and pour over ice in each glass.
  5. Stir, sip, enjoy, repeat.

What’s A Cinco de Mayo Party Without Salsa?!:
Avocado & Tropical Fruit Salsa
Creole Roasted Fresh Corn-Tomato Salsa

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