This is a good, simple recipe from Rose Mabey. Seville, I think,
is the only proper marmalade. Seville oranges are now in season, but don’t leave buying them too long, and remember to wash the warty skins before cooking.
3lb Seville oranges
Juice of 2 lemons
6 pints water
6lb sugar
Cut each orange in half. Remove the pips and squeeze out the juice?keeping both. Remove and keep the pulp, then separate the peel from the pith. Cut the peel into shreds and put in a pan. Add the pips and pulp (tied in a muslin bag), water, orange and lemon juice. Simmer for 1 hours until peel is soft. Remove the muslin bag, giving it good squeeze. Add the sugar and stir until it’s completely dissolved. Boil rapidly until it reaches setting point (see below). Leave to stand for about 10 minutes, give it one final stir and then put it into sterilised, warmed jam jars.
Mrs Mabey suggests adding 2tsp of coriander seeds, putting it in the bag, as with the pips. I have had it with cardamom added, also very good. I’d forget about adding whisky or brandy?it’s just a waste.
Setting point is 103?105×C at sea level, and 1×C lower for every 500ft above. Use a sugar thermometer and, if you don’t know how high you are above sea level, when setting point gets near, put a drop on a cold saucer to see if it gels as it cools. Patience is very important here (something I don’t have).
