by Dana Zia, The Golightly Gourmet
Happy New Year’s! Here we go again as the great wheel of time turns into a new year. With the turning of time comes changes and change is something that we can accept gracefully or hang on till the bitter end when we get bucked off.  This last year has brought a lot of change in my life that I reacted in both ways to! And one of the changes that is coming this year is that I am going to say good-bye to you all here in the Headlight Herald. As I ponder the New Year and what it is going to bring for us all, my thoughts center on the happy tangerine that is abundant in our produce section this time of year.
The tangerine has been a symbol of good luck and abundance to the Chinese for many many years.  Tangerines and oranges are on every Chinese New Year’s table. Their vibrant orange color is a happy color and they are a very important part of their New Year’s celebration and foods as they are thought to bring good luck and abundance.  It’s easy to see how tangerines are known to bring these positive qualities as they are a healthy package indeed.
Tangerines, also known as mandarin oranges, are a tasty and refreshing citrus fruit with many nutritious compounds including flavonoids (best known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory health benefits) vitamin C, vitamin A, folate and potassium. These healthful components contribute to the health of all parts of the body, from cell DNA to the bones, skin and heart.
These cheerful and delicious fruits are believed to have had their beginnings in China over 3,000 years ago but their name comes from Tangiers Morocco. That was the port where tangerines were shipped from to Europe and the USA in the 1800’s. The entire world fell in love with these nuggets for their thin easily peeled skin and bright sweet flavor. Now they are grown everywhere possible from Arizona to Australia.
When shopping for them, be sure to choose the fruit with glossy, deep orange skins. They should be firm to slightly soft and heavy for their size with pebbly skins and no deep grooves, although small green patches near the stems are fine.  Also beware of soft spots that are the herald of rot starting in them.
I can’t get enough of tangerines this time of year. They seem to be just the remedy for the heavy foods that we have been indulging in. I like to eat them just peeled but there are many other ways to eat them. This pot roast recipe is a perfect example. It has an Asian influence in its flavors and the use of tangerine in it makes a delightful element to the sauce. Serve with rice, salad and fresh tangerine slices to ensure good luck and abundance on your table for the next year.  Happy new years! May yours be filled with health and happiness. It has been a wonderful year posting for the Year of Wellness! I wish you all good luck and health in 2017.
Good luck tangerine pot roast
Pre-roasting
1 3-4 pound boneless beef or venison chuck roast
1 tablespoon of garlic powder (not salt)
1 tablespoon of ground cracked pepper
1 teaspoon of dry mustard powder
2 tablespoons of oil, such as olive or coconut
Roasting broth
3 cups of water or beef broth
2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
The juice and zest of two tangerines
1/4 cup of honey
1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger root (skin and all)
OR 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
3-4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon of sriracha, hot sauce
1 large onion, cut up into mediumish pieces
Post-roasting
2 tablespoons of corn starch
1/4 cup of cold water
Get ready to bake a pan of good luck by preheating the oven to 325 degrees.  Wash and pat dry the roast. Mix together the spices in the pre-roast mix and then rub all over the roast till completely covered. Let rest for a few minutes as you heat up the oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the roast to the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes on each side.
Next, whisk together the roasting broth in a medium bowl. When the roast is done browning, pour the broth over the roast, cover, and tuck in the oven to bake for 3-4 hours (depending on the roast size) till the roast is tender and the house is fragrant with good luck. Take it out of the oven and sit the pan on a burner. Carefully remove the roast from the pot and place on a serving platter. Tent it with foil to keep it warm then bring the pan juices up to a boil over medium high heat.
Whisk the cornstarch into the 1/4 cup of cold water. When the pan juices they are gently boiling, whisk the liquefied cornstarch into the broth and stir like crazy till it thickens, about one minute. Remove from the stove, slice the roast and serve with the gravy. Add some fresh tangerine slices for more abundance, cause one can never have enough of that!