Inside the Spice House – with Citrus Fruits!

February in Cyprus is just bursting with fresh citrus. We have in abundance—on the trees, in the shops, and if we’re lucky, even in our own gardens. Oranges, mandarins, tangerines, clementines, kumquats, lemons, bergamot, grapefruit, pomelos—those are the main stars of the season. Colourful, sweet, juicy, aromatic, and of course full of amazing health benefits.

We know that citrus fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, a nutrient that helps strengthen our immune system. Just one medium orange can provide all the vitamin C we need in a day. Citrus fruits are also a good source of fibre, along with a range of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that support overall health. They’re low in calories too, which makes them perfect for snacking.

Citrus fruits are a vital part of Cypriot cuisine and culture. Fresh citrus juices are enjoyed as drinks and used generously in food—on salads, meats, potatoes, and so much more. Other ways to use citrus is in cooking and preserving, such as marmalade, candied peel and glyko (spoon sweets) which are often served as a warm gesture of hospitality. We also love using citrus to make natural cleaning products, but we’ll save that for another time!

We love cooking with citrus in the Spice House. The juice and zest of oranges, lemons, and limes pair beautifully with spice blends, lifting flavours and adding brightness. Here are two of our favourite recipes using oranges…

Skillet Pork with Oranges and Greek Honey

A one-pot Greek classic, where juicy pork meets bright citrus and a kiss of honey — perfect for sharing around the table.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) extra-virgin Greek olive oil
• 2 leeks, trimmed, washed, and finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1½ lb (680 g) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4cm cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 teaspoons dried wild Greek thyme
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 star anise pod
• 1 whole dried chili
• 1½ cups (360 ml) dry white wine
• Water or chicken broth, as needed
• 3 tablespoons Greek pine honey or thyme honey

Instructions

1. Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large wide pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion and cook until soft and lightly golden (about 12 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to remove them and set aside.
2. Rinse the pork and pat dry. In the same pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the pork pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides.
3. Turn the heat to medium-low. Return the leek–onion blend to the pan, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and add bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, orange zest, star anise, and chili. Stir gently to release the herbs’ fragrance.
4. Increase the heat and pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
5. Let the alcohol steam off, then add just enough water or broth to barely cover the ingredients. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the pork is tender (about 2 to 2½ hours). About an hour before it’s done, stir in the honey — it will slowly caramelize and create a deep, syrupy sauce.
6. Before serving, remove the herb sprigs, orange zest, star anise, and chili. Serve hot or warm, spooned over gently roasted potatoes or a mound of creamy polenta.

Whole Boiled Orange & Olive Oil Polenta Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 medium oranges (thin-skinned, organic preferred), or 1 very large orange
• 3 large eggs
• 200 g (1 cup) caster sugar (or granulated)
• 100 g (½ cup) fine polenta (cornmeal, not pre-cooked)
• 150 g (1½ cups) ground almonds (almond meal)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 100–125 ml (about ½ cup) light-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

For the Syrup (optional, but recommended)

• Juice of 1 orange
• 2 tablespoons honey or sugar

Instructions

1. Boil the oranges. Place the whole oranges in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, until the oranges are very soft. Drain and allow to cool.
2. Make the orange purée. Once cool, cut the oranges into quarters and remove any seeds. Place the entire fruit—skin, pith, and flesh—into a food processor and blitz until you have a smooth, thick paste.
3. Prepare the oven and tin. Preheat the oven to 170 °C (340 °F), or 160 °C fan-forced. Grease and line a 22–23 cm (9-inch) springform tin.
4. Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
5. Combine the batter. Gently whisk the olive oil and orange purée into the egg mixture. Fold in the ground almonds, polenta, baking powder, vanilla and cardamom until just combined.
6. Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Make and add the syrup (optional). While the cake is baking, combine the orange juice and honey (or sugar) in a small saucepan. Simmer for 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened. While the cake is still warm, prick it all over with a skewer and slowly pour the syrup over the top.
8. Cool and serve. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before removing. Serve on its own, with Greek yoghurt, or alongside fresh citrus slices.

This cake actually improves after a day, as the citrus oils deepen and the crumb settles into something wonderfully rich and perfumed, proof that patience is sometimes an ingredient too.

Spice&Easy Cyprus for health & wellness! We do the blending, so you don’t have to! www.spiceandeasycyprus.com