Roasted Clementine Recipes

ST CLEMENTS CARROTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and bring a large pan of water to the boil. Cut the carrots lengthways into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Tip the carrots into the pan, wait for the water to simmer again, then cook for 4 mins. Drain well, then tip into a large roasting tin.
• While the carrots are still hot, gently toss them with all the zest, oil, butter, seasoning and the lemon and clementine slices. Poke the slices in among the carrots, so they're not left on the edges of the tray. Roast for 40 mins until the carrots are golden and tender.

ROAST DUCK TWO WAYS WITH SPICED CLEMENTINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix the spices, thyme and zest. Slash the skin of the breast, cutting through the fat but not into the meat, then rub the spice mix over the breast and legs. Leave for at least 2 hrs, or for up to 24 hrs in the fridge.
• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Put the legs into an ovenproof frying pan or smallish roasting tin, season well, then roast for 1½ hrs until deep golden and crisp. Sit the legs on a plate, then keep warm in a low oven or let cool. Spoon off excess fat from the pan juices and keep it for the next time you make roasties. Pull the meat and skin from the legs, shred using 2 forks, then mix together. Keep warm or, if making ahead, reheat in a hot oven for 10 mins before serving.
• Put the pan back on the hob, add the sugar for the sauce and let it melt and turn dark golden. Add the vinegar (the sugar might turn hard at this point but don't worry as it will dissolve again), then reduce by about half. Tip in the clementine juice and almost all the stock and bubble again until reduced and syrupy. Whisk in the butter, then season to taste.
• Heat a frying pan, then cook the breast, skin-side down, for 10-12 mins until very crisp and the fat has run out. Turn over, fry for another 5 mins for just pink (or longer if you prefer), then lift onto a plate and rest, uncovered, for 10 mins. Spoon off remaining fat, add the leftover stock to the pan, then stir to dissolve any tasty, meaty bits. Add to the sauce.
• Slice the breast on the diagonal, then divide half of the leg meat between 2 warm plates in small piles (you can use a cutter or ring if you like, to make it neater). Top with slices of breast. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve with glazed veg and potatoes.

ROAST DUCK WITH CLEMENTINES

Steps:

• Cut off the end section or tips of the duck wings. Prick the duck skin all over with a sharp-tined fork to allow the fat to escape during roasting.
• In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the Sichuan and black peppercorns, the star anise, cloves, and salt until fragrant, stirring and shaking the skillet to prevent burning. Tip everything onto a plate and let cool. Pour everything into a spice grinder along with the Chinese five-spice powder and process to a fine powder.
• In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, 3 tablespoons (44 ml) fresh clementine juice (reserve the squeezed clementines halves), soy sauce, and sesame oil and stir until smooth. Place 2 tablespoons in a covered bowl and refrigerate.
• Brush the rest of the clementine and cornstarch slurry all over the skin of the duck, then rub the duck inside and outside with the spice mixture, massaging it in well and making sure it's evenly dispersed.
• Nestle the duck in a flameproof baking dish, preferably on a wire rack, that will comfortably hold the duck with some space around it, breast side up, and refrigerate, uncovered, until the skin and its coating are completely dry, about 48 hours. Check the duck after 24 hours, and if any liquid has accumulated in the bottom of the dish, drain it off and discard it, and then return the duck to the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200°C).
• Stuff the ginger, scallions, lemongrass, and the 4 reserved juiced clementine halves into the duck cavity. Roast for 45 minutes.
• Pour off all the rendered fat from the duck and reserve it for another use. (There could be as much as 2/3 cup rendered fat-don't throw it away! You can toss it with some potatoes and roast them or strain it and stash it in the freezer for a future use.)
• Place the whole and halved clementines and the kumquats, if using, around the duck. Return to the oven and roast for another 45 to 60 minutes, until the duck is dark brown and crisp and a thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh registers 165°F (75°C). During roasting, spoon some pan juices over the clementines, but not over the duck, which must be kept dry to ensure crisp skin.
• Lift the duck onto a cutting board and place the fruit on a platter. Place the baking dish over medium-high heat and add the Chinese rice wine. As it bubbles, scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture. Add the clementine juice, stir, and simmer until glossy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Using kitchen shears or a very sharp knife, cut the duck in half through the backbone, discard the ginger, scallions, lemongrass, and squeezed clementine halves, and then cut the duck into serving portions and pile them onto the platter along with the fruit. Serve with the sauce on the side.

CITRUSY ROASTED SALMON AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, clementine or mandarin juice, lime juice, cilantro, shallot and garlic; set aside citrus sauce.
• Scrub the potatoes and slice them into ¼-inch-thick rounds. In a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet (or similar oven-safe pan), fan out the potato rounds, overlapping them a little, to cover the surface of the skillet. Season well with salt (about 1 to 1½ teaspoons) and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle on a few red-pepper flakes. Stir the oil and citrus juice mixture to combine again, and spoon half of the sauce over the potatoes. Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden.
• Remove the skillet from the oven, season the salmon well with salt (about 1½ teaspoons) and pepper to taste and place the salmon on top of the potatoes, skin side down. Sprinkle with a few more red-pepper flakes. Spoon the rest of the citrus sauce over the salmon and top the fish with the citrus slices. Place the skillet back in the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through to your liking, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon.

ROASTED BEETS WITH CLEMENTINES AND MINT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss beets with 1/4 cup olive oil in medium bowl to coat. Cut heavy-duty aluminum foil into two 15-inch squares. Place 1 square on baking sheet. Transfer beets to center of square, leaving 1-inch border around edges. Sprinkle beets with sea salt and pepper. Scatter clementine segments atop beets. Place second sheet of foil over beet mixture; crimp edges to seal tightly. Roast until beets are tender, about 1 hour.
• Carefully open foil packet (steam will be released). Transfer beet mixture to large bowl. Stir in fresh mint and clementine peel. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.