Seville Orange Vanilla Cardamom Marmalade Recipes

SEVILLE ORANGE, VANILLA & CARDAMOM MARMALADE

Steps:

• Peel and finely chop 7 of the oranges, discarding the pips. Reserve the skin of 3, discarding the rest, and finely chop into fine strips. Halve the remaining orange, skin-on, and finely slice. Add this to the pan with the cardamom seeds and 400ml water. Add the vanilla seeds and throw in the pod.
• Boil for 10 mins until the skins are softening, then add the lemon juice and sugar, stirring constantly. Once the sugar has dissolved, simmer for 30-35 mins. Turn up the heat and boil to set (about 10-15 mins) - the boiling point of jam is 105C. If you don't have a cooking thermometer, try the 'wrinkle test' - spoon some marmalade onto a cold saucer and leave for a minute. If it wrinkles when you poke it and has a fine skin on top, it's ready to set. Pour the marmalade into sterilized jars, top with wax discs and lids, and store for up to a year.

CLASSIC SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or line it with a clean towel. Set aside. Place several small plates in the freezer to use later to test the consistency of the marmalade.
• Halve and juice the oranges. You should have about 2 cups. Place the juice in a large pot. Using your fingers, remove the membranes and seeds from the hollowed shells and tie them up in a piece of cheesecloth. Add the cheesecloth filled with the membranes and seeds to the pot containing the juice.
• Cut the peel of the oranges into matchsticks. Put the strips of peel into the pot with the juice and the cheesecloth containing the membrane and seeds. Pour over 4 cups water, or enough water so that the water and juice cover the strips of peel (it will depend on the size of your pot). Bring to a boil and then simmer gently until the peels are soft and tender, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Allow to cool until the bag of membranes and seeds is cool enough to squeeze, about 20 minutes (be careful, it will be hot!). (You can also cover it and leave the marmalade to sit in the refrigerator overnight.) Once cooled, squeeze the pectin-packed cheesecloth until "dry." Discard. Add the sugar and salt and stir well until dissolved.
• Return the peels and liquid to the heat. Bring to a boil over high heat until the marmalade reaches the jelling point, 220 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. The peels will be shiny and glass-like. (If you don't have a thermometer, you can also dribble a few drops of the marmalade on a frozen plate. If it crinkles when you run a finger through it and your finger leaves a clear line in the marmalade, it's ready. If not, check it every 5 minutes or so.)
• While the marmalade is cooking, place the canning rack in the canner and fill the pot with water; bring to a boil over high heat.
• Place 4 clean 1/2-pint jars (see Cook's Notes) on the prepared baking sheet. (This will help contain any dribbles or spills and prevent the jars from directly touching the metal.) For each jar, insert a canning funnel and carefully ladle in the marmalade, allowing at least 1/4 inch of headroom. Clean the rims of the jars with a clean, damp towel and tightly secure the lids.
• Using tongs, place the jars on the rack in the canner. The water should cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Cover the canner. Return the water to a boil and boil gently for 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the jars to a towel to cool. If the seal works and fits properly, the metal lid will be slightly concave within 24 hours of processing. Store the unopened jars of marmalade at room temperature for up to 1 year. Once the marmalade is opened, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Sliced fruit method
• Scrub the oranges, remove the buttons at the top of the fruit, then cut in half. Squeeze out the juice and keep to one side. Using a sharp knife, slice the peel, pith and all, into thin, medium, or chunky shreds, according to your preference. Put the sliced peel into a bowl with the orange juice and cover with 10 cups of water. Let soak overnight or for up to 24 hours.
• Transfer the whole mixture to a preserving pan, bring to a boil, then simmer slowly, covered, until the peel is tender. This should take approximately 2 hours, by which time the contents of the pan will have reduced by about one-third.
• Stir in the lemon juice and sugar. Bring the marmalade to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Boil rapidly until the setting point is reached (see p. 41), 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let cool for 8 to 10 minutes-a little longer if the peel is in very chunky pieces-then stir gently to disperse any scum. Pour into warm, sterilized jars and seal immediately (see pp. 21-22). Use within 2 years.
• Whole fruit method
• Scrub the oranges, remove the buttons at the top, and put the whole oranges into a preserving pan with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the orange skins are tender and can be pierced easily with a fork.
• When cool enough to handle, take the oranges out. Measure and keep the cooking water-you should have about 7 cups. Bring it up to this amount with more water if you have less, or boil to reduce if you have more.
• Cut the oranges in half and remove the seeds with a fork, flicking them into a bowl. Strain any juice from the seeds back into the cooking water, then discard the seeds.
• Meanwhile, cut up the orange peel and flesh into thick, medium, or thin shreds. Put the cut-up fruit into the strained cooking liquid. Add the lemon juice and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil and boil rapidly until the setting point is reached (see p. 41), 10 to 15 minutes.
• Let cool for 10 to 12 minutes-a little longer if you've cut the peel into very chunky pieces-then stir gently to disperse any scum. Pour into warm, sterilized jars and seal immediately (see pp. 21-22). Use within 2 years.
• Variations
• You can use both methods for making many other delicious marmalades:
• Lemon marmalade with honey
• Use 2 1/4 pounds of lemons instead of oranges, and omit the extra lemon juice. Replace 1 1/4 cups of the sugar with 3/4 cup of honey, adding it at the same time.
• Three-fruit marmalade
• Use a mixture of grapefruit, lemons, and sweet oranges to make a total of 2 1/4 pounds of fruit.
• Ruby red marmalade
• Both pink grapefruit and blood oranges make wonderful marmalades, though I prefer to use the sliced fruit method for these fruits. Add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to every pound of fruit.
• Seville and ginger marmalade
• Replace 1 1/4 cups of the sugar with 9 ounces of chopped crystallized ginger, adding it along with the sugar.
• Whiskey marmalade
• Add 1/4 cup of whiskey to the marmalade at the end of cooking.
• P.S.
• Don't limit marmalade to the breakfast table, for its traits and qualities can be well used in other culinary ways. I like to replace candied peel in fruitcakes with a tablespoonful or two of marmalade, and I always add some to my Christmas mincemeat (p. 74). Marmalade makes a marvelous glaze for oven-baked ham, as well as sweet-and-sour chicken or pork dishes. Best of all, 3 or 4 tablespoonfuls will make a glorious golden topping for a good old-fashioned steamed pudding.
• P.P.S.
• For generations, marmalade makers have cooked up the mass of seeds found inside citrus fruits in the belief that they are full of pectin. However, most of the pectin is actually found in the citrus peel, and I rely purely on this for the setting power in my marmalades.

SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Halve the Seville and navel oranges and squeeze out the juice and seeds from each half into a mesh strainer set over a small bowl. After all the oranges have been squeezed, place the seeds on a piece of cheesecloth, gather up the sides, and tie securely. Cut each rind in half and then slice as thinly as possible.
• Put the orange slices in a large pot or a Dutch oven. Add the orange juice, water, the bag of seeds, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand overnight at room temperature.
• The next day, stir in the sugar and set the pot over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture is not burning on the bottom, until the marmalade reaches the jelling point (use the wrinkle test, page 256, to judge when it's done). If white scum occasionally rises to the top, skim it off with a large spoon.
• Stir in the Cognac or whiskey and remove the bag of seeds, squeezing it with a pair of tongs to extract as much marmalade from it as possible. Ladle the marmalade into clean jars. Cover tightly, let cool, and refrigerate.
• The marmalade will keep for at least 6 months in the refrigerator.
• The salt is said to help soften the fruit. I've not made two batches side by side to test this theory (16 cups of Seville orange marmalade is a bit too much to have on hand), but it certainly doesn't hurt to add it, so I always throw in a pinch.