Luke Mangan’s top 5 citrus tips
Versatile citrus is perfect for both sweet and savoury dishes. Here Coles ambassador and chef Luke Mangan suggests how to add a delicious tang to your meat and fish.
Lemony breadcrumbs
Try flavouring your breadcrumbs with lemon zest, grated parmesan and chopped thyme. Use for fish or meat.
Grapefruit salad
Segment a grapefruit, cut the segments into four equal parts then place in a bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Season with freshly cracked pepper and salt flakes. Spoon over sliced salmon, kingfish, tuna, or any type of sashimi.
Citrus dressing
To make a citrus dressing, simply squeeze orange, lime and lemon juice into a small jar that has a lid. Add a little Dijon mustard, a splash of aniseed-flavoured liquor (eg, Pernod) and olive oil. Season with freshly cracked pepper and salt flakes. Place the lid on and give it a good shake. It freshens up a good leafy salad.
Burn your citrus!
Simply cut off the cheek of a lime then sprinkle the flesh side evenly with sugar. Place it on a very hot grill or barbecue until the sugar forms a rich, dark caramel colour. Squeeze the burnt lime over your favourite cooked fish. I like to squeeze mine over a hot plate of salt and pepper prawns. Or try burning blood oranges and using them in your favourite cocktail.
Make a curing mix
Grate off the zest of your favourite citrus then add an equal amount of salt and brown sugar. You can also add chopped garlic and chopped thyme to give it more of a savoury note.
This curing mix adds flavour and texture to lamb, salmon, chicken and any type of game. Simply cover the meat or fish with the curing mix and refrigerate: 10 minutes per 100g for fish and 20 minutes per 100g for meat.
Wash off the mixture and pat dry. Grill on the barbecue or roast in the oven.
Perfect flavour matches
- Orange and duck
- Mandarin and chocolate
- Grapefruit and fennel
- Lemon and chicken
- Lime and chilli
