Winter in Canada can be a cold and dreary affair, but fortunately this is the season when citrus fruits are readily available. Lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruit … you name them, I love to eat and cook with them. So let’s offset the snow and freezing temperatures with a citrus celebration!
Using Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are versatile. They can be used in both savoury and sweet recipes (juiced, zested, or sliced) and go beyond the garnish to be a key ingredient in beverages. Of course many forms are delicious peeled and eaten out of hand (for me, those are oranges and grapefruit, once the Christmas season clementine craze is over). Personally, I go through large quantities of oranges in January and February for their great flavour, vitamin C, and the sunshiny essence they bring to a cold Canadian kitchen.
In this citrus celebration roundup of recipes, I’ll be including a variety of sweet and savoury recipes, focusing on the fruits I use most: lemons, oranges, and limes. I hope they inspire you to brighten your kitchen with their tangy, fresh, and energizing brand of optimism.
Orange You Glad to Celebrate Citrus?
Ginger Orange Beef Stew with Chinese Five Spice
Let’s start off with a savoury, satisfying beef stew. Its heartiness is perfect for the winter season, but the use of orange zest and juice takes it to an unexpectedly bright place. This Ginger Orange Beef Stew definitely deserves a place in your winter cooking roster.
Fennel and Orange Salad
Fennel and orange make for a classic combination, and they co-star brightly in this Fennel and Orange Salad. The sweetly tart orange complements the pleasing anise flavour of the fennel, and fennel’s crunch plays nicely with the tender orange slices. A plate of this will have you dreaming of the beach.
Hazelnut, Sour Cherry and Orange Biscotti
On a cold winter day what’s nicer than snuggling up in a cozy chair with a good book and a cup of coffee? Having a biscotti while you sip and read, that’s what! This Hazelnut, Sour Cherry and Orange Biscotti takes me right back to my food and wine tour of Italy in 2018. And it demonstrates how powerfully the zest of an orange can deliver full citrus flavour.
Here’s a recipe that I’d like to try, over at the blog Sweetsugarbean, written by my food blogging friend Renée Kolhman: Medjool Date, Chocolate and Orange Scones. (And by the way, if you don’t have her wonderful baking cookbook All the Sweet Things, I highly recommend it!)
Lemme Cook with Lemon!
Chicken, Rice and Lemon Soup
My take on the Greek classic, this Chicken, Rice and Lemon soup is hearty and warming while delivering the bright zing of lemon. I make it in big batches so I have some on hand in the freezer the next time the snow flies.
Lemon Curd
I can’t talk about cooking with lemons without talking about—hello, sunshine!—Lemon Curd. It’s sweet, tart, and rich, and balanced and smooth. If optimism were a fragrance, this would be it. You can use lemon curd in many different ways, including this Lemon Curd No-Churn Ice Cream (did you see how I snuck another recipe in there?).
Lemon Posset
If you’re looking for an easy dessert recipe that’s elegant and also a nod to medieval times, then check out this Lemon Posset. And did I mention that it has only three ingredients?
Lime-ilicious
Pasta with Garlic, Red Chili and Lime
This is one of the most popular recipes here at Urban Cottage Life, and no wonder. The angel hair pasta cooks in just a few minutes, and the ever-so-easy “dressing” for it comes together quickly. The lime adds real pizzazz to this Pasta with Garlic, Red Chili and Lime.
Pork Chops with Lime and Chili
I’ve been making pork chops this way since before I started blogging way back in 2011 (hey, that means 2026 marks the 15-year anniversary of Urban Cottage Life!). What can I say, Pork Chops with Lime and Chili are packed with unexpected flavour, and they’re also easy to make.
Watermelon Salad with Lime Honey Dressing
Yes, this post is about a citrus celebration as an escape from winter, but let’s just jump ahead to summer, shall we? Imagine a sweltering, humid August day. Then imagine this cold, bright and sassy Watermelon Feta Salad with Lime Honey Dressing tantalizing your taste buds and cooling you down.
Oh, remember how I mentioned using citrus in beverages? Why not check out this recipe for the grownups: Rhubarb and Lime Gin Fizz.
