In My Kitchen - January 2015

I was invited by Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial to write a post to link to her In My Kitchen, a series that gives us a peek into the kitchens of food bloggers around the world. Celia started her blog in February 2009, one year before Delightful Repast debuted in February 2010. She tells wonderful stories and shares my passion for bread. 

"If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens." ~ Robert Browning

In My Kitchen ... 

... January means it's time to make marmalade. Though I'm in the US, I follow the British tradition of making marmalade in January. If I can get my hands on some organic Seville oranges (the highly acidic orange of marmalade tradition), I'd like to make a batch and see how it compares to my Kumquat Marmalade. The pantry (or larder) is down to just a few jars of Satsuma and Meyer Lemon Marmalade.

And, of course, marmalade calls for excellent toast. Though I love my English Muffin Toasting Bread for toast, this month the sourdough saga continues! My Sourdough Starter is very vigorous, producing fabulous loaves of Sourdough Sandwich Bread as well as other loaves I've not yet blogged about. If you haven't tried it yet, I hope you will soon. 

January is a great month for organizing. I'll be collecting things from all over the house to donate. From the kitchen, a pair of bread pans I haven't used in decades because I upgraded. There's more stuff, but I'm afraid that little project will have to be postponed until later in the month as I have finally tackled a huge project in my office: magazines. 

Over the years I have accumulated more than a thousand magazines, and it's time for them to go! Some are issues of magazines I've written for, some are magazines that my mother had collected and I've held onto for sentimental reasons. Mind you, these are all housed on bookshelves in an orderly fashion; nevertheless, I've decided they are clutter that is weighing me down. 

A lifelong magazine lover, I have an eclectic collection. Of course, there are many years' worth of Bon Appetit, Saveur, Food and Wine, etc. And I love British magazines, which are so expensive here that I tend to hang onto them forever. I just pulled out a few British editions of House Beautiful and Ideal Home that are from 1993! You think it's time to let them go?! 

In 2015 I will not be subscribing to any magazines, and I will be letting all existing subscriptions lapse. No matter how fantastic the deal is, I'm going to Just Say No! I'm going cold turkey, baby! I keep telling myself it's just for one year. Hope I can do it. "One day at a time" and all that, right? 

Whew! After that confession I might have to go have a bit of a lie-down. If you're an "out-there," "tell-all" extravert, that might not seem like a big deal to you. But to an introvert like me, that was a real gut-wrenching soul-baring of epic proportions! Yes, a bit of a lie-down is definitely what's needed. Oh, and could someone fetch me a nice cuppa tea?

Kumquat Marmalade - And Marmalade Tips

Here I am with Kumquat Marmalade. I know, I know, when I posted my Tangerine Marmalade in March, I said that was going to be my final post about marmalade until next winter. But then I came into some kumquats ...

Homemade marmalade is so much better than store-bought that if you've only ever had store-bought and think you don't like marmalade, you need to try homemade. It will be a revelation! That said, I'm not going to lie to you -- cutting the peel into fairly fine shreds can be fiddly work. 

The Truth About Marmalade 

A friend brought me two pounds of organic kumquats. That's a lot of kumquats. And I usually use two pounds of fruit in a batch of marmalade. But, like I said, that's a lot of kumquats. So I decided to make just a small batch. Did I mention, one pound of kumquats is a lot of kumquats? 

Mind you, I'm not so speedy with a knife that I'm going to be posting videos of my slicing and dicing on YouTube or anything; but I do have fairly decent knife skills and good, sharp knives. And it took me nearly an hour. But don't let that scare you off. If you've never made kumquat marmalade before, you need to make this! 

Marmalade Tips 

Always use organic citrus when making marmalade. There's no peeling away the pesticides, dyes and waxes because you're using the peel. Marmalade is all about the peel! And wash the fruit well, even if it's organic or homegrown.

So many marmalade recipes give inadequate or unclear directions. If you're new to marmalade-making, I think you will find the directions I give here very thorough. If something is unclear, do let me know so that I can fix it. 

As with any marmalade, use a sharp knife. I used my Wusthof Classic 3.5-Inch Paring Knife 4066/9cm and found it to be the perfect knife for finely slicing kumquats. Someday I'm going to experiment with chopping the kumquats in the food processor, but then that will be jam, not marmalade. I do so love the lovely shreds suspended in marmalade.

Small-Batch Kumquat Marmalade (water-bath canned)

(Makes 3 half-pint jars)

1 pound (450 grams) organic kumquats
1 3- to 4-ounce (85 to 113 grams) organic Meyer lemon
1 quart (1 liter) water
1 pound (2 1/4 cups / 450 grams) sugar 

1 Scrub the fruit well. Line a 1-quart bowl with a couple layers of cheesecloth (muslin, for those in the UK). Cut a piece of kitchen string about a foot long. Cut a thin slice off each end of the kumquats, then cut them in half lengthwise; remove seeds and any bits of dry pith and save them in the cheesecloth-lined bowl. Slice kumquats crosswise as thinly as possible and put them into your jam kettle (the Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 2-Quart or 3.5-Quart Round French Oven is perfect for this). Cut the lemon in 1/4-inch-thick round slices and put them in the bowl. Tie up the cheesecloth with kitchen string; put it in the jam kettle and tie one end of string to pan handle. 

2 Add water to the fruit in your jam pan. Bring to a full boil. Boil, uncovered, for 7 minutes; no need to stir. Remove from heat, cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Refrigerate for 8 hours or for a day or two. 

3 When ready to make the marmalade, get your jars ready. Get out canner (or large pot deep enough that water will be 1 to 2 inches above the tops of the jars), two kitchen towels, 2-cup glass measure, thermometer, jar lifter, tongs, half-pint jars, new lids (never reuse lids), bands. 

4 Put a folded kitchen towel in the bottom of the large pot (unless, of course, you have a canner with a rack). Fill 2/3 full of water and begin heating the water. Heat extra water in a teakettle or saucepan. Submerge clean jars and new lids in the hot, but not boiling, water. They'll be hot in about 10 minutes, but just keep them below simmering until ready to use.



5 Start heating fruit mixture over medium-high heat. Before it gets too hot to handle, remove the cheesecloth bag to a clean bowl; squeeze the juice into the bowl and remove any seeds that might have escaped from the bag. Pour the juice into the jam kettle; discard the bag. Continue heating and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and boil very gently, loosely covered, for 25 minutes, or until peel is very tender; no need to stir. Add the sugar to the jam kettle and stir until it is dissolved.

6 Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (big bubbles all over the pan that cannot be stirred down). Keep it boiling hard, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until it registers 220 degrees, stirring occasionally. When done*, remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes (keeps the peel evenly distributed in the jars).

Note: *Doneness can be difficult to determine. There are several tests recommended by various experts. I've tried them all, and they don't work for me. In my experience, they all result in overcooked marmalade. I cook it until it's 220 degrees and "looks right." If the marmalade has thickened and darkened a bit and it's 220 degrees, hold it at 220 degrees for one minute, then have the courage of your convictions and take it off the heat. After you've made it a few times, you'll get a feel for it.

Marmalade will continue to thicken in the jars, taking as long as two weeks to set completely.

7 Do one jar at a time. With tongs, remove a jar and lid from the water. Ladle the marmalade into a spouted 1-quart glass measure; then pour the hot marmalade into the hot jar, leaving 1/4-inch headroom. Stick a knife or something (I use a chopstick) into the filled jar right next to the glass in about 4 places to release any air bubbles. Check the headspace measurement again and add more marmalade if needed. Wipe off the top of the jar with a damp towel, carefully place the lid and screw the band on "finger tight" (firmly, yes, but don't crank it down). Repeat for all the jars. Put the water back on the heat.

8 Return filled jars to the water bath, adding enough hot water to have water 1 to 2 inches above the tops of the jars. Jars must be upright and not touching. Heat to a gentle boil, covered, and set timer for 10 minutes. Adjust the heat to keep the water at a simmer. After 10 minutes, move the pot off the heat and take off the lid. Let the jars sit in the water for 15 minutes. If you're not using a rack with handles in your "canner" and don't have a jar lifter, just ladle out some of the water so you can lift the jars out with an oven mitt. Remove the jars and set them on a kitchen towel on the counter.

The lids will make a popping sound when they seal, so just count the pops as the jars start cooling. Leave them undisturbed for 24 hours (don't tighten the bands or press the lid to check the seal). Then, if you lost count of the pops, check the seals by pressing on the center of the lids; they should be a bit concave and not move. Properly sealed jars are ready to be stored in the cupboard. Any jars that did not seal should be stored in the refrigerator.

Note: Of course, it's nearly time to start thinking about Strawberry Freezer Jam and, in a few short months after that, Peach Freezer Jam.

Disclosure: Posts may include links to my affiliate account at Amazon.com, and Delightful Repast earns a few cents on the dollar if readers make a purchase, so thanks for supporting my blog when you shop at Amazon!

Tangerine Marmalade

Tangerine marmalade can be made well past the traditional marmalade-making months of January and February (Seville orange season), using different tangerines as the seasons come and go. Satsuma, December-February; Page, January-March; Pixie, March-June; Minneola, April-June. 

This is my third and final post about marmalade--until next winter when I will probably post Seville orange marmalade. I've learned a lot since my first two posts, Satsuma and Meyer Lemon Marmalade and Meyer Lemon Marmalade. Though they are both quite good, they are rather heavy on the peel. Using more water improves the jelly to peel ratio. 

This recipe gives directions for how to deal with tangerines that, unlike Satsumas, are difficult to peel and have seeds. And it deletes the doneness test given in the other posts. I've discovered that marmalade has a better consistency when cooked considerably less than any of the popular doneness tests would have you cook it.

If you're going to be making marmalade or any kind of preserves, you will need a scale. Though my old non-digital kitchen scale always got the job done, I heartily recommend the OXO Good Grips 11-pound digital scale. I use it nearly every day for one thing or another.

By the way, the superb toast in the photo above was made with English Muffin Toasting Bread.

Tangerine Marmalade (water-bath canned)

(Makes 5 half-pint jars)

1 1/2 pounds tangerines
1/2 pound Meyer lemons
7 cups water
2 pounds (4 1/2 cups) sugar

1 Scrub the fruit well. Cut the ends of the tangerines, and cut the tangerines in quarters lengthwise. Cut the peel off each quarter. Cut the peels (including those ends you cut off) into short, very narrow strips. Coarsely chop the peeled tangerines, removing all the seeds (pips). Trim a tiny bit off the ends of the lemons and discard those bits, then halve the lemons lengthwise. Cut each half into four wedges; remove the seeds (lots of seeds, probably two dozen, in a Meyer lemon). With the wedge on its side with the peel toward you, slice crosswise very thinly. Scrape the fruit and juice into your jam kettle (I use my 5.5-quart Le Creuset French oven). 

2 Add water to the fruit in your jam pan. Bring to a full boil. Boil, uncovered, for 7 minutes; no need to stir. Remove from heat, cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Refrigerate for 8 hours or for a day or two.

3 When ready to make the marmalade, get your jars ready. Get out canner (or large pot deep enough that water will be 1 to 2 inches above the tops of the jars), two kitchen towels, 2-cup glass measure, thermometer, jar lifter, tongs, half-pint jars, new lids, bands.

4 Put a folded kitchen towel in the bottom of the large pot (unless, of course, you have a canner with a rack). Fill 2/3 full of water and begin heating the water. Heat extra water in a teakettle or saucepan. Submerge clean jars and new lids in the hot, but not boiling, water. They'll be hot in about 10 minutes, but just keep them below simmering until ready to use.

5 Bring fruit mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil gently, loosely covered, about 30 minutes, or until peel is tender; no need to stir. Stir in sugar all at once until dissolved. 

6 Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (big bubbles all over the pan that cannot be stirred down), stirring frequently. Keep it boiling hard for about 30 minutes, or until it registers 220 degrees, stirring occasionally, till the end when you will need to give it a gentle stir pretty much constantly. When done*, remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes (keeps the peel from sinking to the bottom of the jars).

Note: *Doneness can be difficult to determine. There are several tests recommended by various experts. I've tried them all, and they don't work for me. In my experience, they all result in overcooked marmalade. I cook it until it's 220 degrees and "looks right." If the marmalade has thickened and darkened a bit and it's 220 degrees, have the courage of your convictions and take it off the heat. After you've made it a few times, you'll get a feel for it.

7 Do one jar at a time. With tongs, remove a jar and lid from the water. Using the 2-cup glass measure, ladle the hot marmalade into the hot jar, leaving 1/4-inch headroom. Stick a knife or something (I use a chopstick) into the filled jar right next to the glass in about 4 places to release any air bubbles. Check the headspace measurement again and add more marmalade if needed. Wipe off the top of the jar with a damp towel, carefully place the lid and screw the band on (but don't tighten it). Repeat for all the jars. Put the water back on the heat.

8 Return filled jars to the water bath, adding enough hot water to have water 1 to 2 inches above the tops of the jars. Jars must be upright and not touching. Heat to a gentle boil, covered, and set timer for 10 minutes. Adjust the heat to keep the water at a simmer. After 10 minutes, move the pot off the heat and take off the lid. Let the jars sit in the water for 15 minutes. If you're not using a rack with handles in your "canner" and don't have a jar lifter, just ladle out some of the water so you can lift the jars out with an oven mitt. Remove the jars and set them on a kitchen towel on the counter. The lids will make a popping sound when they seal, so just count the pops as the jars start cooling. Leave them undisturbed for 24 hours. Then, if you lost count of the pops, check the seals by pressing on the center of the lids; they should be a bit concave and not move. Properly sealed jars are ready to be stored in the cupboard. Any jars that did not seal should be stored in the refrigerator.

Note: Of course, it's nearly time to start thinking about Strawberry Freezer Jam and, in a few short months after that, Peach Freezer Jam.

Strawberry Freezer Jam with Less Sugar - Even Better My Way

Strawberry freezer jam is something I don't usually get around to making until June, but I got my hands on some perfect organic local berries the other day and decided to get a jump on summer. I posted Strawberry Freezer Jam with Less Sugar last June, but I've changed my technique a bit since then. While making Peach Freezer Jam with Less Sugar last August, I got a great idea (if I do say so myself)!

If you've made freezer jam, you know it has a softer set than regular jam. I'm okay with that, but still I just couldn't help thinking I could make it better. And I DID! I made my first batch according to directions and found that after 24 hours it was much softer than I would like, so I decided to experiment on the second batch. I heated the peaches a bit before adding them to the pectin mixture. When I tried the jam after 24 hours, I was amazed! The consistency was perfect, and it still tasted like fresh peaches!

So, of course, I had to try my new technique on these strawberries. Wow! (Sure-Jell, if you're reading this and want to send me piles of cash for my idea, that can be arranged!)

If you like it, please Pin it and share it!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

(Makes 7 half-pint jars)

I used the same ingredients as the Sure-Jell recipe but made a crucial change to the method, so this is my jam.

4 cups (946 ml) prepared fruit (buy about 4 or 5 pints fully ripe strawberries)
3 cups (21 ounces/595 grams) sugar
1 box Sure-Jell Premium Fruit Pectin for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes
1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) water

1 Rinse clean half-pint glass jars and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly. Straight-sided jars are best.

2 Slice and, with a pastry blender (works better than a potato masher), thoroughly crush strawberries, one layer at a time. Or use a food processor: With metal blade in place, add halved strawberries to work bowl and chop using several 1-second pulses. Or, as my dear friend and honorary grandmother Elsie does, use a blender. But don't puree; leave some little chunks. Measure exactly 4 cups (946 ml) crushed strawberries in 1-quart glass measure.

3 Pour fruit into 2-quart saucepan. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat just to the boil (bubbling in the middle as well as around the edges). Remove from heat.

4 In 3-quart saucepan, stir together sugar and pectin. Stir in water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Immediately add strawberries; stir 1 minute or until well blended. Pour into 2-quart glass measure; spout and handle make it easy to fill jars neatly.

5 Fill all jars immediately, leaving 1/2-inch space at top for expansion. Wipe any drips off top edges of jars; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Peach Freezer Jam with Less Sugar - Preserving Summer's Bounty

This is my last post about peaches this summer, I promise! In June I was on a strawberry kick and made vast quantities of strawberry freezer jam. Late July, early August, I've been on a peach kick (in case you haven't noticed). Up until last week, I had been buying a few pounds at a time. Then a wonderful organic farmer named Vern gave me a huge box of perfect peaches.

So I froze enough for five Peach Pies with Lattice Crust, made two batches of jam and had some left to enjoy in the present. Just think how much I'm going to enjoy these luscious peaches in the middle of winter! And that's the thing about freezer jam—strawberry freezer jam tastes just like fresh strawberries and peach freezer jam tastes just like fresh peaches.

If you've made freezer jam, you know it has a softer set than regular jam. I'm okay with that, but still I just couldn't help thinking I could make it better. And I DID! I made my first batch according to directions and found that after 24 hours it was much softer than I would like—perhaps it's one of those that will take a couple weeks to "set up."

So I decided to experiment on the second batch. I heated the peaches a bit before adding them to the pectin mixture. When I tried the jam after 24 hours, I was amazed! The consistency was perfect, and it still tasted like fresh peaches!

If you'd like to experience a bit of summer in the middle of winter, break out the jam jars and make a batch or two of freezer jam. It's so easy. You can whip up a batch in under an hour. Please leave a comment and tell me what you're doing with fruit this summer.

Peach Freezer Jam

(Makes six or seven 8-ounce jars)

I used the same ingredients as the Sure-Jell recipe but made a crucial change to the method, so this is my jam.

4 cups prepared fruit (buy about 3 to 4 pounds fully ripe peaches)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 box Sure-Jell Premium Fruit Pectin for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes

1 cup water

1 Rinse clean half-pint glass jars and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly. Straight-sided jars are best.

2 Peel and pit peaches. Finely chop fruit. I can't imagine doing it without a food processor (love my Cuisinart; see the "My Little Shop" page for a current model). With metal blade in place, add 1-inch peach chunks to work bowl and chop finely using short pulses (about ten 1-second pulses). Don't puree, though; jam should have bits of fruit. Measure exactly 4 cups prepared fruit in 4-cup glass measure.

3 Pour fruit into 2-quart saucepan. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat just to the boil (bubbling in the middle as well as around the edges). Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice.

4 In 3-quart saucepan, stir together sugar and pectin. Stir in water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Immediately add peach mixture; stir 1 minute or until well blended. Pour into 2-quart glass measure; spout and handle make it easy to fill jars neatly.

5 Fill all jars immediately, leaving 1/2-inch space at top for expansion. Wipe any drips off top edges of jars; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Jean

Strawberry Freezer Jam with Less Sugar

Strawberry freezer jam is the perfect answer for anyone who likes strawberry jam. You know how there are recipes for the easy version of something and then there are recipes for the best version? Well, strawberry freezer jam is both easier and better than regular strawberry jam.

Back when I wanted to spend an entire day in the kitchen "putting up" various things, including jam, I turned up my nose at freezer jam. I thought it was for people who couldn't make the real thing. Then my dear friend and honorary grandmother Elsie, who at 91 still likes to pull out all the canning equipment, gave me a taste of her strawberry "less sugar" freezer jam. Wow! It tasted like fresh strawberries! Why would anyone make any other kind!

I looked at the directions in the box of Sure-Jell Premium Fruit Pectin for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes and thought "This is too simple. Grandma must have added some special something to it." But, no, that's all there is to it!

Perfectly scrummy on a scone, it's always the jam on my tea table. And if you can save a biscuit for after dinner, slather it with strawberry "less sugar" freezer jam to cap off a good Southern meal. And toast--spread this jam on a piece of toasted whole grain bread or homemade classic white sandwich bread. It's so good you don't even need butter.

Have you made freezer jam yet? Or regular jam? What's your favorite flavor? You can whip up a batch of this in under an hour. C'mon, just do it!

(05/06/11 Note: I made a little change to the method, so read my latest on Strawberry Freezer Jam before you proceed.)

Strawberry Freezer Jam(Makes six 8-ounce jars)

Adapted from the recipe in the pectin box; all ingredients the same, just a few additions to the directions.

4 cups prepared fruit (buy about 4 pints fully ripe strawberries)
3 cups sugar
1 box Sure-Jell Premium Fruit Pectin for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes
1 cup water

1 Rinse clean containers and lids (I use glass jars) with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.

2 Slice and, with a pastry blender (works better than a potato masher), thoroughly crush strawberries, one layer at a time. Or use a food processor*: With metal blade in place, add halved strawberries to work bowl and chop using short pulses. Or, as my dear friend and honorary grandmother Elsie does, use a blender. Measure exactly 4 cups crushed strawberries into large bowl.

3 In 3-quart saucepan, stir together sugar and pectin. Stir in water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Add strawberries; stir 1 minute or until well blended.

4 Fill all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

* I was recently cleaning off my Cuisinart DLC-10E food processor and putting it back in its place of honor on the counter when I realized I've had it for about thirty years! It seemed terribly expensive to the young girl I was at the time, but I never imagined I'd be using it for so long. I've replaced the work bowl for cosmetic reasons, but the motor/base is just like new. Sounds like a pretty wise investment! (See the "My Little Shop" page for a current model.)