February Fabulousness: Oranges with Krokan

This recipe combines my two favorite things in the world. Oranges and Krokan (caramelized almonds). When we were children, at Christmas-time my father would bring home a huge crate of navel oranges from the fruit market and we'd creep down the cold steps of the cellar to find the oranges wrapped in royal blue tissue paper inside their box. When I was pregnant with my first child I'd eat two or three oranges a day, chopped up into wedges so I could suck out the juice, like we did at half time in lacrosse games. Oranges make wonderful pudding (I've lived here 25 years and I still can't bring myself to say "dessert") -- and they're in season now, sweet and juicy -- the perfect end to a Mediterranean meal, or following a Lamb Tagine, for example. My mother is making Clive's tagine for lunch with her girlfriends tomorrow and is making her own version of this: caramelized blood oranges, which looks absolutely gorgeous:

my mother's caramelized blood oranges

Here's how to do it.

3-4 oranges, peeled and sliced
one cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water
large nob of butter
handful of almonds, blanched, skinned and chopped

Krokan Ice Cream

Krokan (Kro-kahn) is a flavor of ice cream in Norway. It is vanilla ice cream with crunchy bits of caramelized almond. It is something that I dream about.  There is a recipe for this ice cream here adapted from Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes. Lucy and I (we both have a similar Krokan-fixation) decided to take the Krokan and put it on top of oranges, which is essentially caramelized oranges with almonds.

First peel the oranges. Aim to do it in one piece, using a very sharp, small knife and a steady, patient hand.

Start at the top of the orange and just go slowly.
Then slice the oranges and arrange on a plate.

Meanwhile, put the almonds in a measuring jug and cover with boiling water, which will loosen their skins so that you can peel them easily. Chop and put aside.

Heat the sugar, water and butter in a pan and let it cook slowly till it becomes a lovely golden shade. I put the almonds into this mixture and let it cook together. My mother sprinkles them on top.

Either way, pour the caramel over the oranges. It will mix with the orange juice and become quite gooey and delicious.

Do not lick the spoon or you will burn your tongue (as I did).

Oranges topped with Krokan

Norwegian summer sunrise porn: Oslofjorden