By Jordan Champagne, Happy Girl Kitchen Co.
Yields 12 8-ounce jars
I love to teach people how to preserve fruits using honey or alternative sweeteners, but you can only do this when you are not trying to get your preserve to gel firmly.
For this recipe you can use any citrus fruit you would like, including lemons and limes. I have chosen to use Cara Cara navel oranges mixed with blood oranges to give the final product a pink hue.
You can also substitute agave for the honey and experiment with the spices to tailor it to your own desires. Vanilla, fennel, ginger or cardamom would be nice flavor variations.
As you can see, this recipe is very flexible and you can double or halve it easily.
How to use these preserves? In the end you will have whole slices of citrus that are softened and very sweet. You can add them to baked goods such as muffins and scones. You can top off your ice cream or pudding with a slice. They are a wonderful addition to a fruit salad and can stand alone on a piece of toast or crumpet.
The syrup that is created is absolutely divine and not a drop should be squandered. I love it for flavoring special drinks or baked goods.
9 cinnamon sticks
1 and 1/2 tablespoons cloves
8 pounds oranges (thinly sliced and seeds discarded)
9 cups honey (local is best—I prefer a sage or wildflower variety)
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup orange juice
In a non-reactive pot, combine the oranges with water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and boil gently until peel is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Add drained oranges to the honey and lemon juice in a non-reactive pot and add spice. Reduce the heat and boil gently until orange slices are well glazed, about 40 minutes.
Prepare the canner and the lids. Using a slotted spoon, pack hot oranges into hot jars, leaving slightly more than 1/2 inch headspace. Ladle hot syrup into the jar to cover oranges. Wipe rim and put on the lids.
Place the jars in canner and process for 10 minutes.
Happy Girl Kitchen Co.
173 Central Avenue, Pacific Grove
831.373.4475
www.happygirlkitchen.com
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
