Bitter sweet January

For a fleeting few weeks in January, Seville oranges flood the market stalls, just the thing for making marmalade.  Blink and you miss them.  There is nothing like home-made jams, and marmalade more than any of the others.  Shop bought are too sweet and not the same thing at all.  What's more, it's actually very easy to make.  The trick is not to make too much at any one time. All you need are Seville oranges (1.5kg), a lemon or two, water (3 litres) and sugar 3kg).  You will also need a muslin or a jelly bag to put the pips and pith in to release the pectin, the thing that makes marmalade set.  

Wash the fruit, cut them in half, squeeze out the juice and remove the pips.


Cut the peel in shreds and put it in a pan with the pips tied up in a muslin bag.


Add the water, lemon juice, and pulp.

Simmer for an hour and a half, remove the muslin bag (squash it against the pan with a spoon to release the pectin first), stir in all the sugar until it dissolves completely.  Rapidly boil until setting point is reached.  To test this, drop a splodge of marmalade onto a cold saucer (pop one in the freezer for a few minutes before hand.  Push it with your finger and if it wrinkles, it is set.  Pour into sterilised jars and seal immediately.  Cover with a wax disc.  We don't bother with them as we eat our marmalade so quickly!