Experimentation – Orange Reduction Sauce

Broccoli Florets
Orange Juice Simmering Reduced

I had a hankering for something with a citrus taste to it, which is fitting given the plethora of oranges available lately. At first I tried something similar to what I’ve done with lemon: a little oil, a little tarragon, a couple tablespoons orange juice and some minced ginger. The results were lackluster, with very little of the individual flavors coming out and completely missing my citrus-like goal. Sadness.

Broccoli Tossed With Reduction

After mulling it over, thinking of some of the asian-inspired citrus dishes I’ve had (orange chicken), I decided to give it another go. Instead of a splash of orange juice I decided to make an orange reduction sauce. Reductions are great for intensifying flavor, which was really what I wanted, and allowed me to avoid adding too much liquid. I didn’t want it “wet” for fear of lousy roasting.

1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1-2 teaspoons corn starch
160 grams (~5 1/2 ounces) broccoli florets; cut small

I brought everything from juice to vinegar to a boil in a small pot and simmered until I reduced it by a little more than half; about 20 minutes. I was hoping for the powdered sugar to do a one-two combo, sweetening and thickening, and added additional corn starch after a while when I wasn’t getting the viscosity I wanted. Massive clumping action ensued, reminding me to always prep thickeners in a bit of liquid on the side. Alas.

Tossed And Ready To Roast

This wasn’t a lot of broccoli, which became quite apparent when I tossed it with my reduced sauce. I threw it all in a small 8×8 glass baking pan and roasted for about 15 minutes, until the broccoli was tender. Actually, I could have stopped earlier but there was a lot of liquid.

The result? Mostly positive. This go ’round the orange flavor was preserved and was a major component in the overall taste. The sweetening of the various ingredients was mostly positive, but perhaps a bit too sweet.  though I think it could have been scaled back a bit, maybe with only one tablespoon of honey. I’m not sure what role the ginger and rice vinegar played, whether they were subtle agents in the background or merely ineffectual add ons.

Broccoli in Orange Reduction Sauce

The broccoli was a wee bit chewy and I’m curious if this was a result of the lack of oil or just the wonders of mega mart food quality. I’ve never really sat down and thought hard about exactly what oil does. Something worth exploring.

Overall happy with the results and progress made, and I will be sure to revisit and tweak in future meals.

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One Response to “Experimentation – Orange Reduction Sauce”

  1. Kat says:

    I suggest you try your orange sauce with carrots. I’ve made orange carrots before, and the extra sweetness and the brightness of the citrus really makes them fun.