Preserved Seville Oranges

Thanks to the kindness of friends, I received a box of 57 Seville Oranges this January. (Read the story here). These sour citrus fruits are most often used in making marmalades. But, their juice can be added to any recipe, sweet or savoury —  a traditional substitution for 2 Sevilles is one lemon and one sweet orange. And, the candied peels make a bitter-sweet topping for any number of treats. Throw them into your fruit cake, even.

When preserved in salt, the Seville Orange makes a great addition to savoury meals. You can use them in any recipe which calls for Preserved Lemons. I like to toss Preserved Sevilles in with my roasted or boiled chicken. Really, any tajine or flavourful stew will do. And, cleaned of its salt and diced into small bits, a slice or two of Preserved Seville makes a lovely addition to aromatic rice, to grain or quinoa salads, and to pasta dishes, warm or cold. You can also dice them up and serve them on the side of raw salmon or vegetables, pulse them with onions, garlic, nuts, herbs, and oil for a pesto, or blend them into your dips and salsas. And what a pretty gift a jar of Salt Preserved Seville Oranges makes as a gift for a friend!

Print Recipe

Preserved Seville Oranges

Author: Roseanne Carrara, Smelling Salts Journal

Ingredients

• A box of kosher salt
• 2-3  Seville Oranges per pint prepared  scrubbed clean 
• Cinnamon sticks - optional
• Cardamom pods - optional
• Cloves - optional
• Sterilized jars and lids of any size

Instructions

• Pour 2 tablespoons of kosher salt into the bottom of a jar.
• OPTIONAL: If you'd like, add a cinnamon stick or two.
• Remove the green tips of the oranges.
• Slice half of the Sevilles into 8 wedges. Feel free to remove any excess seeds. But, don't actively seed the fruit.
• Sprinkle salt generously over the wedges.
• Press 2-4 wedges into the jar.
• Sprinkle with another generous tablespoon of kosher salt.
• Press oranges down with a tart tamper or with a large wooden spoon so that the juices flow out but the slices are not smashed.
• Add more salted slices to the jar, adding salt, and pressing down firmly until the jar is quite full. 
• OPTIONAL: If you'd like, add a few whole dried spices to the jar as you pack your Seville slices in.
• Sprinkle with a good 2-3 tablespoons of kosher salt.
• Juice 1/2 to 2 Sevilles into the jar until the jar is filled to about 1/2 inch below the rim.
• Seal the jar tightly.
• Allow the jar to sit on a counter for 1 week [you can leave these for up to 3 weeks].*
• Then, refrigerate, allowing the jar to set for a total of at least 1 month before use.
• Salt preserved citrus lasts for several months, if not years, in the refrigerator.

Notes

*It's safer to store salt preserved fruit in the refrigerator, particularly after you've opened the jar. Some people keep their preserved citrus at room temperature for much longer. However, I cannot recommend it, as I've never tried.