Recipe: Macerated Orange Slices (Italian)

MACERATED ORANGE SLICES

"I find the oranges quite perfect as they are, but if you want to vary them or give them a more celebratory and emphatic accent, you could toss them, shortly before serving, with two tablespoons of one of the following liqueurs: Cointreau, white Curacao, or best of all Maraschino (a fine Italian liqueur made from the Dalmatian marasca cherry)."

6 sweet juice oranges
Zest of one lemon
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Using a sharp paring knife, peel four of the oranges, stripping away all the white spongy pith and as much as possible of the thin skin beneath it. Cut the peeled oranges into slices less than 1/2-inch thick. Pick out all the seeds.

Put the slices into a deep platter or a shallow serving bowl, and sprinkle with the grated lemon peel. Add the sugar. Squeeze the remaining two oranges and add their juice to the platter or bowl. Add the lemon juice, then toss rather gently several times, being careful not to break up the orange slices as you turn them over.

Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least four hours, or overnight.

Serve chilled, turning the orange slices over two or three times after taking them out of the refrigerator.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan