Marmalade
I've finally made marmalade from the Seville (bitter) oranges that have been lurking in the freezer.
I like Nigella Lawson's recipe because it cooks the fruit before slicing. Having given myself blisters shredding raw citrus fruit for marmalade before I think this is an excellent idea.
You can use other citrus fruits (with less sugar) with the same method- pink grapefruits or, my favourite, a post Christmas mixture of surplus oranges, clementines/satsumas, lemons and limes.
Put a saucer or two in the fridge or freezer.
Wash some jam jars and lids and put in the dishwasher or put the jars in a low oven and pour boiling water over the lids.
Scrub the fruit and simmer in enough water to float.
Reserve the boiling water. Cool the oranges and slice as thinly as possible, putting any pips in a small pan.
Pour some of the cooking water over the pips, bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes. Strain and pour over the sliced orange peel, the juice of two lemons and the sugar. Heat gently and slowly bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, making sure all the sugar has dissolved before boiling as it won't dissolve afterwards. The back of your wooden spoon should have no gritty sugar particles on it.
Bring to a rapid boil, stirring frequently to make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom.
Check the set by putting a teaspoon on a chilled saucer. If it wrinkles when you push it, it's ready. You want it wobbly rather than solid so I'd err on the side of under set.
Ladle hot marmalade into hot jars and apply dry lids.
I'm happy there's enough sugar in here to preserve it without further processing but do water bath if you'd prefer.
I meant to add some chopped crystallised ginger to a couple of the pots but forgot and had to eat the ginger instead. Oh well.
Marmalade
800g Seville (bitter) oranges, scrubbed
1.4kg sugar*
juice of two lemons (bottled or fresh)
*Nigella specifes preserving sugar which dissolves slower, makes skimming easier and should mean less sticking and stirring and a clearer reserve but I used granulated to avoid multiple opened packets.
Put the fruit in a pan with enough water that they can float. Bring to the boil and simmer for two hours, topping up with water from the kettle if necessary.
Drain and slice finely, putting the pips in a small pan. Ladle some of the cooking water over them and boil for five minutes.
Put the chopped oranges, sugar and lemon juice in a large (preserving) pan with the strained water from the pips. Heat slowly, making sure the sugar has dissolved before the jam starts boiling, and boil until setting point is reached, using a saucer or your normal method to test for a set.
Ladle into clean, hot jars and close lids.
Should make just over a litre
Variations
Replace half the sugar with muscovado and maybe a tablespoon of black treacle or molasses for a dark Oxford-style marmalade.
To make a version using any other citrus- pink grapefruit, St Clements (orange and lemon) or a 3 or 4 fruit marmalade- use the same weight of combined fruit but reduce the sugar to 1kg.
Continue as per the recipe above, chopping the whole cooked fruit but discarding any pips, don't boil them separately.
Will keep unopened for about (at least) a year.
I like Nigella Lawson's recipe because it cooks the fruit before slicing. Having given myself blisters shredding raw citrus fruit for marmalade before I think this is an excellent idea.
You can use other citrus fruits (with less sugar) with the same method- pink grapefruits or, my favourite, a post Christmas mixture of surplus oranges, clementines/satsumas, lemons and limes.
Wash some jam jars and lids and put in the dishwasher or put the jars in a low oven and pour boiling water over the lids.
Scrub the fruit and simmer in enough water to float.
Reserve the boiling water. Cool the oranges and slice as thinly as possible, putting any pips in a small pan.
Bring to a rapid boil, stirring frequently to make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom.
Check the set by putting a teaspoon on a chilled saucer. If it wrinkles when you push it, it's ready. You want it wobbly rather than solid so I'd err on the side of under set.
Ladle hot marmalade into hot jars and apply dry lids.
I'm happy there's enough sugar in here to preserve it without further processing but do water bath if you'd prefer.
I meant to add some chopped crystallised ginger to a couple of the pots but forgot and had to eat the ginger instead. Oh well.
Marmalade
800g Seville (bitter) oranges, scrubbed
1.4kg sugar*
juice of two lemons (bottled or fresh)
*Nigella specifes preserving sugar which dissolves slower, makes skimming easier and should mean less sticking and stirring and a clearer reserve but I used granulated to avoid multiple opened packets.
Put the fruit in a pan with enough water that they can float. Bring to the boil and simmer for two hours, topping up with water from the kettle if necessary.
Drain and slice finely, putting the pips in a small pan. Ladle some of the cooking water over them and boil for five minutes.
Put the chopped oranges, sugar and lemon juice in a large (preserving) pan with the strained water from the pips. Heat slowly, making sure the sugar has dissolved before the jam starts boiling, and boil until setting point is reached, using a saucer or your normal method to test for a set.
Ladle into clean, hot jars and close lids.
Should make just over a litre
Variations
Replace half the sugar with muscovado and maybe a tablespoon of black treacle or molasses for a dark Oxford-style marmalade.
To make a version using any other citrus- pink grapefruit, St Clements (orange and lemon) or a 3 or 4 fruit marmalade- use the same weight of combined fruit but reduce the sugar to 1kg.
Continue as per the recipe above, chopping the whole cooked fruit but discarding any pips, don't boil them separately.
Will keep unopened for about (at least) a year.
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