I know why they call them blood oranges now. During a moment’s inattention, I cut the tip off my finger when I was slicing them.
But while blood oranges are still in season, grab half a dozen. Because apart from the gore-fest that was my kitchen last night, this makes a fantastic cocktail ingredient.
It’s hardly a recipe at all, really. Just slice up five or six blood oranges, skin and all (but preferably not your own), put them into a Kilner jar with a couple of tablespoons of golden caster sugar, top up with gin (I used around 70cl), seal and shake to dissolve the sugar.
You can add more sugar to make it more of a liqueur but I like the bitterness the oranges impart mostly unaided.
Leave the jar in a cool, dark place for a couple of months, then (ideally) strain into a bottle and use as the basis for a stonking Martini or a.n.other cocktail of your choice.
Do you remember a few years ago we seemed to go through a pc phase of being urged to call them ‘sanguinellas’ As if. It didn’t catch on. As your finger testifies. This sounds VERY good. For when the sloe gin runs out, eh?
I’ve seen them described as “blush” oranges, Sanguinellas, all sorts of things except blood oranges. It seems the supermarkets think we can’t cope with something so baldly named. Just as Sevilles are now often labelled “marmalade oranges” in case we’re too thick to know the difference. It is highly unlikely, btw, that we will ever run out of sloe gin as we make it in near-industrial quantities, but I think this will make a refreshing change. 😀
Yum, I like the idea of it being a bit bitter. The limoncello/arancello was nice but those sort of liqueurs are a bit tooth-achey,
I will report back …
My thoughts are with your finger. This looks like a bad idea. I could foresee where it would end if I were to get involved in such antics.
My own stupid fault for being careless. But the blood orange gin already tastes amazing so maybe a sacrifice worth making.