Candied Orange Peels

I don't typically make candy any other time of year outside of the Christmas holidays (and for good reason!!), but I came across something I just couldn't pass up.  A lady I used to work with several years ago posted on Instagram some rather delicious-looking candied orange peels she'd made recently.  The kids and I had a rather massive looking pile of orange peels left over from after supper on Friday night, and since our compost bin on the kitchen counter was already overflowing, I decided to give this a try.

Peels in the pot ready to be boiled.

I think the next time I do this, I won't slice up my peels prior to boiling.  This made it a bit tedious when it came time to scrape the pith off the peels (which I recommend you do because it cuts down on the bitterness of the final product).

Boiling the heck out of those peels...5 times!

My friend likes to dip her orange peels in chocolate and let it set up, which I absolutely would have done as well, had it not been for my chocolate-orange-phobic husband.  *sigh!*  So, I skipped that step but did everything else.

And this pile of beautifully crystallized orange-y goodness is what happened!!

Sugar-coated candied peels drying overnight.

I followed her steps almost to the letter, the only difference being how I made my simple syrup, so let me recant for you what I did to arrive at this delicious result.  It's a bit laborious for candy, not to mention a bit of a drawn out process, but it sure was tasty.  Enjoy!  :)

Candied Orange Peels

Cleaned orange peels of 3 large oranges

2 cups water

1-1/2 cups raw sugar, divided

1/2 cup white sugar

Optional: Semi-sweet chocolate chips and a little milk for glaze coating

1.  In a large pot, boil orange peels at a rolling boil for 2 minutes.  Drain peels.  Repeat 4 more times for a total of 5 boilings.

2.  Meanwhile, in a medium pot, make a simple syrup by bringing 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup raw sugar, and 1/2 cup white sugar to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.  While syrup is simmering, drain peels and cover with cold water.  When cool enough to handle, use the edge of a spoon to gently scrape off any white pith remaining.  Using a sharp knife, slice the orange peels into 1/4-inch strips.

4.  Add peels to simmering syrup.  Cover and continue to simmer for 45-60 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate overnight.

5.  Drain peels if necessary; do not rinse.  Transfer to a large ziplock bag with remaining 1 cup of raw sugar and toss to coat.  Arrange sugar-coated peels in a single layer on a wax paper-lined baking sheet.  Cover loosely with paper towels and allow to air dry for 24 hours.

6.  (Optional)  Dried peels can be dipped halfway into a chocolate glaze (melted chocolate with a little milk) and returned to the baking sheet to dry for a further 6-8 hours.

7.  Once dried (the insides will still be somewhat soft), transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature.

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A Little On The Side: Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potatoes

I have a few sweet potatoes left over from the holidays, and I really wanted to find something different to use them in.  So last night, I played around with some flavors I thought would work well together, and I ended up with this...sweet and spicy sweet potatoes!  I'm serving them with baked fish fillets and steamed green beans, so I think the overall dish will be figure friendly.  ;-)

The flavor was exactly as I'd imagined, sweet from the potatoes themselves and the brown sugar, and spicy from all the savory seasonings that went in.  I think this will be a hit with the family, so I'm going to probably double the recipe next time.  Give it a try!  It will go well with seafood, steaks, chicken...just about anything!

Here's the lowdown.  The actual amounts of seasoning can vary depending on your taste, so play around with it a little...

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1-1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel sweet potatoes and cut in half. Microwave on high 3 minutes; allow to cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, line a medium sheet pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2.  When potatoes have cooled, dice into 1/2" cubes.  In a large bowl, toss potatoes with remaining ingredients.  Spread out on prepared sheet pan in a single layer.

3.  Bake potatoes for 15 minutes, stir, then bake for a further 10 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized.  Serve warm.