Seville oranges are still available at the moment. They are great for using in meat dishes particularly with duck. Traditionally in Britain, we have used them to make marmalade. If you are prepared to have a go, you will find that the home made variety tastes infinitely better than the commercial stuff. Pancake day falls in half term this year so I have included a basic pancake recipe to use with the children.
Pour the water into a preserving pan or large wide pan. Scrub the oranges and lemon, then cut them in half and squeeze out the juice, saving the pips. Add the orange and lemon juice to the water. Cut the oranges in half again and scrape out the pith. Loosely tie the pith and pips in a square of muslin. Cut the orange peel into strips, as coarse or thin as you like, place in the pan with the bag of pips and bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered, for about two hours until the peel is soft and the mixture is reduced to about half.
Remove the bag of pips and pith. Squeeze any juices still in the bag back into the pan. Add the sugar to the pan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Boil rapidly for about 15 minutes until setting point is reached. Test to see if it has reached setting point by removing a teaspoonful on to a chilled saucer. If the surface wrinkles as it cools then it's ready. If it is not ready then bring the mixture back to the boil and try again in 5 minutes.
Leave the marmalade to settle for 15 minutes, then skim off any scum, stir up the mixture and pour into clean jars. Seal with waxed discs. You should make about 3kg/7lb.
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Add the egg and some of the milk. Stir the egg mixture incorporating a little of the flour with each stir. Gradually add the rest of the milk until a smooth batter is formed. The children should enjoy doing this. If you prefer, you can use half water instead of all milk. If you are in a hurry you can make the mixture in a food processor or liquidiser, but you must leave it to rest for about half an hour before using it.
To make the pancakes you will first need to heat a little oil in a small pan. When hot, pour in sufficient of the batter mixture to coat the base of the pan. Tilt and rotate the pan to ensure an even coat. Cook for about a minute over a moderate heat until the pancake is set and the underside is a golden brown. Loosen the pancake and then toss or turn it over. Cook the second side for about 30 seconds until golden. Remove from the pan and repeat the process until all the batter is used up. You should make about 8 pancakes.
Serve with sugar and lemon for a traditional Shrove Tuesday treat. Alternatively, you can fill them with any sweet or savoury filling of your choice.!
Happy Eating!