Chosen Bites: Tangy tangerine twist

This sweet and sour, ruby colored sauce is refreshing and will perk up any weeknight or celebration supper.

By LAURA FRANKEL
glazed chicken dish 311 (photo credit: Laura Frankel )
glazed chicken dish 311
(photo credit: Laura Frankel )
I add star anise to this sweet and sour sauce while it’s cooking because I like the complex licorice flavor that it imparts to the sauce.
Serve the chicken with sautéed kale and a whole grain side dish like wheat berries for a heart healthy and delicious dinner. The sauce is also exceptional in fish and drizzled over roasted vegetables.
Be sure to have all of the ingredients for the sauce measured before you start the recipe. The technique for this sauce is to caramelize the sugar which can go from perfect to disaster in seconds.
For the sauce
½ cup sugar 4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno, optional 2 star anise ½ cup blood orange juice ½ cup tangerine juice 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper 4 boneless chicken breasts Salt and pepper Suggested garnishes: Blood orange and tangerine supremes *(sections), fresh herbs
1. Place the sugar in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Melt the sugar to golden brown caramel. Be sure that all of the sugar is evenly melted and no lumps remain.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. The mixture will steam and bubble dramatically and then settle down. Decrease the heat to low and allow the caramel to melt into the citrus juices. Reduce the sauce by half to a glaze consistency. Strain the sauce through a wire mesh into a small saucepan. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm on very low heat.
3. In a large sauté pan, lightly coated with olive oil, brown the chicken breasts on the skin side. Transfer the chicken to a baking pan and brush with glaze.
4. Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, brushing with glaze every 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
*The beautiful citrus sections or supremes-in French, look picture perfect on a plate and are easy to cut.
Start with a sharp paring knife and cutting board. Cut off a small section from the top and bottom of the fruit. This will give the fruit stability and keep it from rolling around.
Cut down the rind from top to bottom following the curve of the fruit. The goal is to remove the rind and the pith (white bitter part) but not the fruit. Continue until all of the rind has been cut off.
Hold the fruit in one hand and cut ½ into the fruit at one of the dividing membranes. Cut on the other side of the segment along the membrane. This should release the segment or supreme. Continue until all of segments are cut out. Squeeze the juice into a bowl and discard the membranes.
Chef Laura Frankel is Executive Chef for Spertus Kosher Catering and author of Jewish Cooking for All Seasons, and Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes.