A Secret Shortcut to Marmalade
I was given a jar of homemade Seville orange marmalade that was absolutely delicious, but it didn’t occur to me to ask for the recipe. I had no time to search for Seville oranges imported from Spain, nor did I enjoy the prospect of cutting off and slicing the peels, removing seeds, and the other attendant chores that come with cooking fresh fruit. But when I thanked my friend for her generous gift she shared her shortcut: canned thin-cut Seville oranges.
As its label claims, Hartley’s Ma Made Seville Oranges need only sugar and water to make 2.7 kg (6 pounds) of marmalade in only 30 minutes. The can contains genuine sliced Seville bitter oranges, water, citric acid, and a gelling agent.
The resulting marmalade does not require canning if the marmalade is refrigerated, and will fill six to eight 8-to-12 ounce jars. Use clean recycled jelly or other jars, or purchase canning jars, fancy or plain, to hold your homemade marmalade. There will be enough to keep and enough to share. You might want to share your secret of how to make it, too.
