Spring canning

Marmalade!

A few years ago, I went to a friend's housewarming party. Her mom had helped her out with preparing the menu, and one of the items was her mom's homemade orange marmalade with chevre on toast. It was one of those apps you remember for years to come.

This same friend gave me a huge jar of the same marmalade as a bridal shower gift, which I tried to make last for months (I did pretty well) and almost always ate with chevre. More recently, her mom had a cooking question, and to thank me for her help, she shared her marmalade recipe. It's Ina's!

So I sent Clint off to the store for some oranges. And lemons, this recipe uses both.

Before you start (I don't want you to have the same timing issue that I did), here's the schedule for the marmalade.
1. cut the oranges. Do some other stuff and let them sit overnight.
2. the next day, simmer them for 2 hours. Then boil 30 min and can.

Finally, when you get to the part where you fill the jars... well, you might not want to scrape the pot very well. I licked the wooden spoon, the ladle, the funnel, and the pot. Then I opened one of the jars and starting eating warm marmalade with a soup spoon.

Ina's friend Anna's Orange Marmalade
courtesy my friend's mom, recipe found here and in Ina's cookbook Barefoot Contessa at Home

4 navel oranges
2 lemons
8 cups of sugar
water

Slice the oranges and lemons thinly (preferably with a mandoline, it's much easier). Put all the sliced fruit and juices into a large stainless steel pot with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then remove from heat and stir in the sugar until it's dissolved. Cover the pot and let sit at room temperature until the next day.

The next day, return the pot to heat and simmer over very low heat for 2 hours (it should just barely bubble). Stir every so often.

Sterilize some jars and lids, either in the dishwasher on high temp wash or in boiling water (lids should be sterilized in simmering water, the rubber coating on the lids isn't as sturdy).

Increase the heat to medium and boil gently for 30 minutes, stirring *frequently*. Once the marmalade reaches 220F (or it solidifies when dropped on a refrigerated plate), start ladling into jars. Wipe the rims with a clean damp paper towel, and top with lids. Either process in a boiling water processor for longer term storage, or let cool to room temperature and store in the fridge (I chose the second option).

Makes 3-4 pints.