G’day, how are we all, we enjoyed the sun this week and didn’t we need it, we have our chioggia (candy stripe) beet root back, not in big numbers so get in early, also the first Seville oranges for all you that like to make your own marmalade here is a recipe
INGREDIENTS
8 Seville oranges (2 ¾ kg)
6 cups water
2 ¼ kg sugar
METHOD
Wash the fruit well, then halve. Working with a hand juicer, squeeze the fruit, then transfer juice to a large jug.
Scoop pips and fruit pulp from the grate of the juicer and place them in the centre of a large (30cm x 30cm) square piece of doubled muslin cloth.
Using a spoon, scrape the remaining membranes out of the oranges, and add to the seeds and pulp. Tie muslin cloth around seeds and pulp with kitchen string to form a bag.
Slice the orange peel into thin 2-3cm long strips. Place sliced peel, muslin bag, juice and water in a large saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer covered about 1 hour or until rind is soft. Remove muslin bag and squeeze over a sieve to release any retained liquid and pectin. Use tongs and the back of a metal spoon to handle and squeeze the muslin bag as the orange mixture and bag will be very hot.
Add sugar, stirring over heat until sugar has dissolved.
Bring to the boil and boil uncovered without stirring 35-40 minutes until marmalade jells (see cold plate test below) when tested. Skim surface of impurities (white foam), using a ladle toward the end of the cooking.
Ladle marmalade, while still hot, into sterilised jars.
The cold plate test
After about 25 minutes of cooking time, take a teaspoon-size sample of the marmalade, spoon it onto a ceramic plate and refrigerate. Do this every 5 minutes until the samples start to form a distinct “skin” on the test plate within a couple of minutes. At this stage the marmalade is “done” and should be taken off the heat.
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