Make the most of your harvest, make marmalade

I mentioned on a previous post that I was lucky enough last week to be given a bag of chokos by John at the farm, together with a lovely supply of fresh limes from the food forrest.

I have used them both with gay abandon during the past week but decided I needed to put the surplus to good use while they were still nice and fresh.

They say if life give you lemons “make lemonade”.

In my case, if life gives you chokos and limes “make marmalade”

Here is the result.

Marmalade

On the left is the choko. lime and ginger jam but it tastes more like marmalade due to the lime and ginger. I’ll make sure John gets a jar of choko jam when I go over to the farm this morning. John’s wife Heather is a big choko pickle maker – she might like to try this jam and add it to her repertoire.

Here is the link to the recipe from Lisa Loveday’s website. When I first found this recipe there was a photo too but it looks like she just has a print friendly recipe now.

On the right is the orange and lime marmalade I made using my friend Wendy’s recipe, just tweaking the choice of fruit. So thank you Wendy. Here is the recipe.

WENDY’S MARMALADE

4 oranges

2 lemons (I used two limes instead)

1.25 litres (5 cups) water

1.5 kg (3lb) sugar

Wash fruit and cut in half lengthwise.  Cut each half into thin slices.  Remove seeds.  Put fruit into bowl and add water, let stand overnight.  Next day put fruit and water into large saucepan, Bring to boil, reduce heat.  Cover and simmer 40 minutes.  Put sugar into baking dish and warm in moderate oven for 7 minutes.  Add to fruit mixture and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Bring to boil and boil, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes.  Stir frequently.  After 40 minutes start testing for set.  Makes approx. 1.75 litres.

(Wendy says it isn’t essential for the fruit to be exactly as specified.  You can substitute other citrus, such as grapefruit, cumquats or mandarins for part of the fruit if you wish, so long as the approximate volume of fruit is about the same.  The fruit for the best marmalade is cut into fine strips and you’ll need patience.  As a lot of juice is produced, a chopping board with grooves around the edge is useful to catch it.)

Happy preserving.