In season citrus

Revel in the delicious brightness of oranges, lemons, mandarins and grapefruits with these stunning sweet and savoury dishes.

At its peak during the colder months, citrus fruit plays a huge part in our daily lives, from an exhilarating glass of freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast to a squeeze of lemon in the salad dressing at dinner. Citrus fruit is also a major crop in Australia, and more than half of the oranges farmed are used exclusively for juice.

Oranges

Navel and Valencia oranges are the most commonly grown varieties in Australia, while Blood and Seville oranges are available in smaller quantities. Between them, oranges are generally available all year round. The winter Navel orange is seedless, easy to peel and juicy, making it a great eating orange. The summer Valencia has more seeds and its skin can be tinged green due to being ripened in warmer weather; it's a good juicing orange. Blood oranges are a rare treat (available in late winter to early spring), with their sweet, rich flavour. The bitter Sevilles, available in late winter, make great marmalade.

Lemons

These are available most of the year, but are at their peak during winter. The main varieties are Eureka, which has a thick skin, and Lisbon, with a thinner, smoother skin. Lemons are especially popular with seafood, but are versatile in both savoury and sweet dishes.

Grapefruit

Most grapefruit are quite large, and can be anything from bitter to slightly sweet in taste. They can be white (actually yellow-skinned with white flesh) or ruby red (red-blushed yellow skin and pink flesh) and seeded or seedless.

CHOOSING

Unlike some other fruit, citrus fruit doesn't continue to ripen or get sweeter after being picked. So buy ripe fruit that feels heavy for its size, without any soft or bruised patches. The skin should be evenly coloured and intact.

STORAGE