SEASONAL RECIPES

- Oranges.

If it wasn’t for citrus, early spring would be a very green affair. Grapefruit, lemon and orange bring their glorious sunny colours to our days, matching the weather as it begins to warm up. I find citrus trees quite fascinating with their evergreen leaves and hardiness to withstand wind and frost – although they do need frost protection when the plants are young and too much frost is not a good thing (as southern readers will know). I also appreciate the ability for the fruit to stay ripe on the tree for months. They are like nature’s very own pantry.

I love that I can wander out to the garden and pick oranges or lemons as needed. Quite the change from stonefruit that needs to be eaten (or preserved) as soon as it is ripe.

We have a navel orange tree in our Nelson garden, which is at least 25 years old as it was well established when we moved here 15 years ago. The tree does seem to have “off” years, producing only a small amount of fruit (this year is one of those); and other years when the tree is laden with fruit (last year). I suspect this has to do with late frosts in spring, of which our valley garden can certainly endure.

From September to December, we will be picking fresh oranges for eating and cooking with, along with our Lisbon (‘Yen Ben’) lemons, and sweet grapefruit from the neighbours’ tree. These will tide us over until the first berries finally arrive in the coming months.

I love how nature has it all planned out so there is a steady supply of fruit year round. I am grateful to my garden for keeping me in touch with this edible cycle.

We have a navel orange tree in our Nelson garden which is at least 25 years old as it was well established when we moved here 15 years ago.

Navel orange & vanilla marmalade

To reduce the bitterness, this marmalade is made without the white pith. And the key to using less sugar is pectin from a “pectin bag” of offcuts. The result is a lovely soft set conserve.

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes + 1-2 hours cooling time Makes about 4 x 250ml jars

1.5kg navel oranges, preferably organic 1 ‘Meyer’ lemon

1 ‘Granny Smith’ apple, chopped into chunks 5 cups (1.25 litres) water

1 vanilla pod or 8 whole cloves

2.5 cups (500g) sugar

Use a citrus peeler or vegetable peeler to thinly peel the zest from the oranges and lemon, being careful to avoid the white pith. Thinly slice the zest and place into a preserving pan (or large wide-bottomed saucepan).

Cut away the white pith from the oranges and compost it. Chop the juicy orange flesh into wedges, then into 1cm pieces, removing any white pith as you go. Add to the pan along with any juice.

Halve the lemon, and squeeze the juice through a sieve into the pan to catch any seeds. Place the lemon seeds and juiced halves onto a 25cm square of cheesecloth to begin the pectin bag. Add the apple (core and seeds included), then gather up the cheesecloth, twist to secure then tie firmly with kitchen string. Attach the end of the string to the handle of the pan so the bag can sit inside the pan.

Add the water and spices to the pan and bring to a boil.

Simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes until the zest and orange flesh is tender. Use the back of a wooden spoon to occasionally press the pectin bag against the side of the pan to release its juices. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool (1-2 hours or overnight) with the pectin bag in the pan – this allows the pectin to release into the orange liquid.

When ready to add the sugar, remove the spices and lift the pectin bag from the pan. Squeeze out the bag and scrape the thick pectin paste into the pan. Compost the rest.

Over medium heat, bring the orange liquid back to a boil and add the sugar. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until the marmalade reaches a soft set. To check this, place a small plate in the freezer at the same time as you add the sugar to the pan. Once the marmalade has reduced and begins to darken in colour, remove the cold plate from the freezer and drop ½ teaspoon of conserve onto it. Wait 10 seconds then make a line in the marmalade with your finger. If the line stays rather than running back together, it’s ready (note: the “wrinkle” test won’t work with this lower-sugar recipe). If not, cook for a further 5 minutes and check again. As soon as it reaches a soft set, remove from the heat.

Sterilise the washed jars by placing them in a 120°C oven for 15 minutes. Boil the lids and a ladle in water for 10 minutes and drain. Reheat the marmalade if needed, although don’t boil or it could overcook. Remove one jar at a time from the oven and set on a wooden board. Use the ladle to fill the hot jar with the hot marmalade. Secure the lid firmly and repeat with the remaining jars and marmalade.

Allow jars to cool completely then check the lids have vacuum sealed. The lids will concave into the jar if they are correctly sealed (unsealed jars need to be kept in the fridge). Store sealed jars in a cool dark pantry for up to 6 months.

Once opened, keep this marmalade in the fridge and consume within two months. Always use a clean spoon to remove the required amount of marmalade from the jar to prevent contamination.