Seville Orange Marmalade

Once a year, sometime in January, Seville Oranges show up in our Produce Depot (?!?). Celebration begins.

• 1.3kg Seville oranges
• 2 lemons , juice only
• 2.6kg sugar

The exact quantities may depend on the size of the available pan. Our large, heavy bottom pan and a single layer of tightly packed oranges (sideways) calls for five lemons and about 3.2 kg (17 pieces) of oranges and 6.4 kg of sugar. This makes about 15-16 0.5 litre jars.

1. Wash oranges very thoroughly with soapy water and use a hard brush. The fruit we buy is covered with a  layer of wax, and stubborn labels that need to be removed.
2. Extract lemon juice.
3. Put the whole oranges and lemon juice in a large preserving pan and cover with water.
4. Press the oranges down with a smaller pot cover to keep them submerged. (maybe put some other preserve jars on the pot lid to keep it down?).
5. Bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer very gently for around an hour, or until the peel can be easily pierced with a fork.
6. Set the oven to about 250F/120C.
7. Place the sugar in a heatproof dish and put it in the oven, for a long warm-up session until it is time to dissolve the sugar (step  14).
8. Once orange peel can be easily pierced with a fork, fish them out of the simmering liquid (liquid remains in the pot for now).
9. Allow oranges to cool until they are easy to handle, and then cut each of them in half. Scoop out all the fruit pulp including pips and pith into a deep dish, while ‘dry’ peels are placed in a separate dish.
10. All pulp and stuff go into a cotton muslin bag, secured safely – the bag can now be placed in the original pot, with the remaining cooking liquid.
11. Chop the peel into thin strips, then in small chunks and put it all into the pan with the muslin bag and liquid.
12. Return to the heat and boil for ½ hour or more.
13. Remove the bag, squash it on the sieve, and wring it to obtain as much pectin from the pulp – as possible.
14. Add the warmed sugar and wait until it dissolves completely – without boiling the mix.
15. Simmer the mix gently for an hour and let it cool overnight.
16. Boil it gently (uncovered) the next day for about two hours until the mix reaches desired setting point.
17. Fill jars using wide funnel.