Bright ideas for dark days…Time for marmalade!
Posted on Thursday 26 January 2012
Sharp but sweet, tangy and fresh – a nice dollop of Seville orange marmalade for breakfast is just what you need to give you and your taste buds a kick-start in the morning. Try it dolloped on porridge, spread on toast, or even stirred into a nice bowl of granola with Greek yoghurt. Mmmmm…. Because it's a bit of a British Institution (it’s been made in Scotland since the 18th Century), there’s plenty of pre-made jars available to buy in the shops, but since the Seville Orange season is nigh, why not make your own instead? Look out for these nobbly little oranges in the shops for around another month, but be quick because their season is very short. Even if you don’t have time to get the preserving pan out now, they do freeze well, so its worth stocking up on as many as you can so that you can fill your larder at your leisure with enough to last you until next season.
Planning on giving it a go? Well, we’ve persuaded marmalade expert, Vivien Lloyd to part with her World Marmalade Awards-winning recipe, just for you. Read it here.
How to make Seville Orange Marmalade
675g (1lb 8oz) Seville oranges
1 Lemon
1.4kg (3lb) granulated, cane sugar
1.75 litres (3 pints) water
Method
Juice the oranges and pour the juice with the water into a large, lidded pan with a capacity of 7 litres. Remove the inner membranes and pips from the oranges.
Juice the lemon and add the juice to the pan. Put the membranes and the lemon shell into a food processor or mini-chopper and chop finely.
Put the chopped membranes, chopped lemon and pips into a 30 cm x 30cm piece of thin cotton muslin. Tie this up with string and add to the pan.
Slice the oranges and add to the pan. If possible, leave the pan overnight to allow the fruit to soak. Next day, bring the lidded pan to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer gently for two hours. The peel should be tender. Remove the muslin bag and squeeze it out into the pan.
Warm the sugar in a low oven. Add the sugar to the pan and dissolve. Bring to a rolling boil and test for a set after 5-7 minutes. Leave to cool for 7 minutes. Pour into sterilised jars and cover with new twist-top lids.
This recipe is courtesy of home preserving expert and winner of The World’s Original Marmalade Awards 2008, Vivien Lloyd (www.vivienlloydpreserves.com). For more of Vivien’s recipes buy her new book, First Preserves (£17.99, Citrus Press).
The World's Original Marmalade Awards run 25 and 26 February 2012. To enter go to www.marmaladeawards.com