One of my favorite winter memories growing up was accompanying my parents every couple of weeks to a place called the Orange Car.
The Orange Car was a warehouse-type building somewhere near Paxton and 2nd streets in Harrisburg. I am not sure if any of the current structures at that rather bleak intersection once housed this business or if the building is gone. But our trips there were one of those childhood experiences in which sight, smell and feel all combined into something I have never forgotten.
The Orange Car was only open during the winter. It was located near the railroad tracks, and train cars unloaded citrus fruit from Florida right on to its dock and conveyor belt. It was freezing cold in the unheated Orange Car, but it smelled heavenly. There were boxes everywhere brimming with pink and white grapefruit, tangerines, juice oranges, navel oranges, temple oranges and my favorite memory—plump kumquats still attached to bunches of leaves from the tree.
Well, my parents, always prone to excess when it came to good food, bought it all. They often gave crates of oranges as gifts and served the fruit as dessert almost every night during the winter. Sometimes, we bought beautiful jars of sparkling orange marmalade, a special treat to spread on our morning toast.
Italians love oranges and cook with them often. I was enthralled seeing orange groves in Sicily seemingly growing everywhere in the warm Mediterranean sun. Sicily is also home to the unique citrus fruit known as the blood orange—with its bright red color and intense sweetness. Oranges find their way into baked goods, fish dishes, roast chicken and a traditional Sicilian salad of orange slices, cured black olives and thinly sliced red onion. And did you know that not just limoncello, but orangecello, is a delightful after-dinner cordial? You might even find a blood orange martini somewhere in this day of designer cocktails.
My favorite orange dish is something I simply call “my favorite orange chicken.” I no longer remember where I got it, but the little cutout recipe has seen much use. The dish is easy to make, can be served to company and makes for an elegant casserole to take to friends or neighbors who, for whatever reason, might be in need of a meal. I have served it on holidays as well as on ordinary workdays. It is sunshine for a cold, gray winter day.
Rosemary’s Orange Chicken
- Brush 6 chicken breast halves with ½ cup of melted butter. (I often use breast halves with the bone in because they have less of a tendency to dry out. But you can use boneless if you prefer.)
- In a shallow dish, combine 6 ounces defrosted frozen orange juice concentrate and ¼ cup honey. (Just plain orange juice will not work.)
- On a plate, mix together ¾ cup fine, dry breadcrumbs, ½ cup flour, 1 teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme and ½ teaspoon salt.
- After brushing the breast halves with the melted butter, dip them in the orange juice concentrate and honey mixture and then roll them in the breadcrumbs and flour.
- Place the chicken in a large, greased baking pan and drizzle the breasts with any leftover melted butter and honey mixture.
- Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 45 to 50 minutes depending on the size of the breasts.
When the breasts are done, place them on a pretty platter and garnish with parsley or thyme sprigs. I like to serve this dish with steamed broccoli and rice (white, jasmine, brown or wild rice—all are good). If you want to make more than six breasts, increase the amount of honey, orange juice and breadcrumbs for coating.
I guess there are not a lot of things to be joyful about in this dark, cold month of January. But nature’s gift of beautiful citrus fruit may be one of them. I hope this recipe for orange chicken becomes one of your favorites, too.
The Harrisburg Orange Car is gone, another happy childhood memory for me. And I don’t know if I will ever visit Sicily again. But I treasure the beautiful citrus fruit of winter—sunshine for January.
Felice Anno Nuovo!
