Blood oranges are in abundance this time of the year and that makes me extremely happy! They are sweet, not as tart as regular oranges, have a slight raspberry flavor and are beautiful. These beauties originated from Sicily and are in season from December through March.

As you may have noticed, I love to cook with fruits. They provide vitamins, fiber and nutrients that are bodies need. It’s also a great way to get them into our daily diet. They are natural sweeteners and provide a beautiful color to our food. I always say we first eat with our eyes,(the beauty and presentation of the food), then our nose (the smell of the food) and lastly, our mouths, (the taste).

Whenever I prepare  a meal that incorporates any citrus fruit I will use the zest of the rind because they provide good nutrients in the rind and add as a pretty garnish.

The beautiful red/orange  color from the blood orange rind is why this fruit is a Superfood. It not only contains Vitamin C and polyphenol, but it contains anthocyanins (found in berries) that are excellent antioxidants. This helps the body to prevent oxidative stress from free radicals.

I hope you try this recipe and provide your feedback. And next time you are in the grocery or farmers market, check for some beautiful blood oranges and I am certain you will be pleases. Enjoy!

Cod in a Blood Orange Reduction served with Spinach and Purple Potato Fries

Ingredients: Serves 1

• 4 ounce fillet of cod
• non stick spray
• 1 small purple potato, skin on, sliced into 1/8 inch slices
• salt and pepper to season
• 1 cup fresh organic spinach
• 1 blood orange, zested, then juiced with several sections left for plating
• 1 tablespoon of the blood orange juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Italian red wine vinegar

Preparation:

Season the fish with salt and pepper.

Slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch slices, leaving the skin on.

Wash the blood orange and pat dry. Zest the rind. Cut the skin off and remove the white pith. Take a few sections of the orange a set aside. Squeeze the juice of the orange. Use should get about 1 tablespoon.

Mix the juice with the Italian red wine vinegar and sugar. Set aside.

Spray a non stick large flat pan with the cooking spray.   Place over a medium low heat and when hot add the sliced potato in a single layer. Place the fish on the pan with the potato. Cook without moving any of the food for 4 minutes. Turn the fish and the potato over to other side and cook for additional 4 minutes. Remove the potato and pour the marinade over the fish. Turn the heat off.

Place the spinach on the plate. Place the fish on top of the spinach and top off with the potato. Place the orange sections and zest over the food. Season with additional salt and pepper according to your taste.