What can I do with excess citrus? Our favourite ways to use the glut!
Here in Melbourne, an abundance of zesty, fresh citrus is what our cooler seasons are all about. Mandarins, oranges, limes, lemons, tangelos, grapefruit – they go in lunch boxes, in picnic pockets, in cakes and marmalades, in gingery juices and salty preserves.
A lot of our Victorian citrus is grown in the Mildura region, its warm sunny days and crisp cool nights well suited to producing a huge range of citrus fruit that are perfectly tangy, sweet and juicy. But so many grow well in Melbourne too, and it’s a common joy to swap and share the excess. Everyone knows you can’t waste the harvest.
Whether you’re flush with homegrown lemons, have been gifted grapefruits, or are overcome with oranges, here’s our top recipes and recommendations to make the most of citrus season!
Quick tips on picking and storing your citrus
- If you’re lucky enough to pick your own backyard lemons, make sure you snip them off cleanly so they store as well as possible. Resist the temptation to pull and snap the fruit from the tree – it can damage the branches but it can also mean your fruit won’t keep as long. Grab some kitchen scissors or a pair of secateurs, and cut just above the fruit leaving a little twiggy stub.
- Don’t forget most citrus doesn’t need to be harvested all at once. Again if you have your own or a neighbourhood tree to pick from, consider taking the fruit as you need. Don’t leave them so long that they dry up, but lemons, mandarins, oranges and cumquats will continue to ripen and become sweeter the longer they are on the tree.
- Once picked, store with care. Use any fruit with cuts or blemishes first. And make sure your fruit is entirely dry before gifting or storing – they can quickly deteriorate where moisture is trapped against the skin. Then pop them in the fridge for safe keeping. They’ll last for several weeks, if not months, so you can make the most of them with our favourite recipes below.
When we saw Clementine Day share these cubes of immune boosting goodness we tried them in a flash (they’re genius). It’s an excellent way to use up extra citrus you might have to hand. Stash the winter freezer with these cubes and a hot mug of warming elixir will be in your hands by the time the kettle is boiled.
When peak citrus season hits it’s time to get batch cooking. But who needs 5 orange cakes at once? Our top tip – boil up your spare citrus and puree for later. It makes whipping up a whole citrus cake almost too easy breasy! We puree 4/5 sweet citrus and 1/5 sour citrus (you don’t want the sour to overpower). Batch them up to the exact weight you need (we do 325g), pop them in the freezer, and use them throughout the year.
Ready to bake? Our whole orange cake (we sub all orange for this citrus mix) is in our recipe collection.
This classic recipe comes via our brilliant waste wise friends at Open Table.
Winter is prime lemon time, and an embarrassment of lemons means plenty of pickling and preserving to share with your friends, family and neighbours. These two recipes are simple to make and provide zingy zangy flavour like no other!
We love these plastic-free, vibrant decorations! Give it a go this year with oranges, lemons and grapefruits. Fabulous for a festive garland, or to adorn your next batch of edible gifts (we’re looking at you, Orange and Almond Granola).
Put those fragrant, antibacterial oils to work as natural helpers around the house. You can make a simple vinegar based cleaner by adding used rinds to a glass jar and covering with regular white vinegar before leaving the jar to infuse for 2-3 weeks. Add a stem or two of herbs like rosemary, tea tree, or lavender for extra strength and good smells.
If you’ve got a bowl of mixed citrus you’re not sure how to use up, consider homemade chinotto! Traditionally, the Italian drink is made from myrtle-leaved oranges, but we’re sure this mixed citrus version will provide a similar bittersweet, spiced refreshment.
