WHEN BLOOD ORANGES WERE FIRST INTRODUCED to the American market in the 1930s, marketers tried to brand them “citrus tomatoes,” fearing that shoppers would be put off by thoughts of bodily fluid. Thankfully, the name never caught on. These scarlet-fleshed fruits drip with crimson juice and make the most wonderfully hued marmalade.
3½ pounds/1.6 kg blood oranges (about 10 to 12)
6 cups/1.2 kg sugar
2 teaspoons powdered pectin (optional; see note on page 82)
Wash the fruit in warm, soapy water and dry thoroughly. Using a serrated-edge vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the fruit. Stack the zest strips in piles and chop into fine confetti. Combine the zest in a pot with 2 quarts/2 liters water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until zest ribbons are tender.
While the zest cooks, “supreme” the fruit by cutting the white pith away from the fruit and cutting the fruit into segments between the membranes. Collect the fruit and any juices in a large measuring cup.
Drain the zest in a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the cooking liquid.
Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
In a large pot, combine the drained zest, the segmented fruit and any juices, 6 cups/1.4 liters of the reserved cooking liquid, and the sugar (if you are using the powdered pectin, whisk it into the sugar before adding it to the fruit).
Bring to a boil and cook vigorously over high heat until the mixture reaches 220°F/105°C (this takes between 30 and 40 minutes). Stir regularly as it cooks to prevent scorching.
When the marmalade reaches 220°F/105°C and sustains that temperature for 1 minute (even after stirring), remove the pot from the heat. Test the set of the marmalade using the saucer test described on page 77. If it doesn’t pass, return the pot to the heat and cook for an additional 5 minutes before repeating the test. Once it seems to be setting to your satisfaction, remove the pot from the heat and stir for about 1 minute, to help the zest bits become evenly distributed throughout the preserve.
Ladle the marmalade into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (see page 11).
Blood Orange Marmalade, Meyer Lemon Marmalade
