Oranges and Kumquats oh my!

[hrj]

I was in Berkeley Bowl last Tuesday for my regular post-dragonboat-practice-grocery run (because that's the day I reliably drive to work, so it's the weekly Berkeley Bowl stop) and noticed that both Seville oranges and kumquats were solidly in stock. Not "we're importing them from the other hemisphere" in-stock but local in-stock. So I concluded it was time for the start of this year's citrus preservation experiments.

Marmalade

Last year, you may recall, I made a fumbling attempt at Gervase Markham's orange marmalade. To reprise the original recipe:

To make an excellent marmalade of oranges, take the oranges, and with a knife pare off as thin as is possible the uppermost rind of the orange; yet in such sort as by no means you alter the colour of the orange; then steep them in fair water, changing the water twice a day, till you find no bitterness of taste therein; then take them forth, and first boil them in fair running water, and when they are soft, remove them into rose-water, and boil them therein till they break; then to every pound of the pulp put a pound of refined sugar, and so, having mashed and stirred them all well together, strain it through very fiar strainers into boxes, and so use it as you shall see occasion.

Last time I was at a loss how to interpret the instruction about "pare off as thin as is possible" and pretty much ignored it. This time I decided to follow the theory that the intent is to expose more of the rind to the initial steeping process, but rather than paring the rind, I ran the oranges lightly over a rasp (the sort you use to make zest). I'm trying to follow the instructions as closely as I can understand them, so I soaked the whole oranges in multiple changes of water, changed twice a day. I think there were about 10 changes overall. At the end, I couldn't taste any bitterness in the rinse water.

OK, so I did deviate from the literal recipe at the next step because I didn't want to have to pick out the seeds at a later stage. So rather than boiling the oranges whole, I quartered them and picked out the seeds. Oh, and because I'm doing a batch of candied rind, I went ahead and added the juice and pulp from that batch of oranges too. So now I'm two steps away from the original recipe. (Note: I'm using 12 whole oranges and the juice+pulp of another 12 oranges.)

I covered the fruit just barely with water and started it simmering. Almost had a tragedy when the water level got low and I had to transfer the orange pulp to another pot to avoid the slight scorching. That's the point where I am right now, so more later.

Candied Orange Peel

So far, all I've done is cut a dozen Seville oranges into eighths and remove the pulp, then set the peel to soak in water. I'll be following my standard recipe: soak in a dozen or so changes of water, then make a 1:1 sugar syrup and bring the peel to a simmer in the syrup once a day until Something Changes. One year I got the syrup to a crystalizing stage and the peel ended up nicely dry and sugary. One year I started getting a carmelization change while it was still syrupy and the peel ended up wetter and a bit tougher. I'm sure it's a matter of keeping the temperature low while the water boils off, but I tend to do these things by guess and golly so who knows what I'll get this time.

Kumquat Preserves

I'm using the "contagion" theory to consider this batch part of the Produce of My Estates because there are 5 of my own kumquats mixed in with about 2 quarts of store-bought. Wash the kumquats then pierce them end-to-end with a large skewer to allow the syrup to penetrate. Don't bother with the water soak because the bitterness factor is lower. Make a 1:1 sugar syrup and bring the fruit to a simmer in the syrup once every day until Something Changes. What I'm aiming for in this case is whole fruit in a jelly-like syrup, so when the daily cool-down results in something that sets, after the next heating I'll put it up in jars.

Comments

[ichseke.livejournal.com]

How long would you estimate that the candied peel will keep? I'd love to preserve some for next holiday season, but the season for Sevilles is so awkwardly placed. I have had good luck with marmelades, and wouldn't mind striking out in a new direction.

[helblonde.livejournal.com]

Alice Waters says that candied peel keeps indefinitely in the fridge.

[hrj.livejournal.com]

I've still got remnants of a batch that I made … hmm, it was the year 12th night was in Sacramento and the last three have been in Concord, so at least 3 years ago. I have never yet had any candied peel go bad -- whatever that would look like.

[ichseke.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much -- time to order in a crate!

[kiria-dk.livejournal.com]

What a coincidence! I was just pondering candied orange peel. Do you happen to know of any period recipes?

[hrj.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of period recipes. Most are minor variants of the same basic process. Scappi is nice because he specifically notes that the process can be used with lime peel, orange peel or citron (although it isn't clear that the variety was intended or was a printer's confusion). Basically: scrape the pulp off the inner side of the peel and soak the peel for four days, changing it twice a day. Boil in water until tender then soak in multiple changes of cold water again. Bring to a boil in heavy sugar syrup once a day for eight days. It sounds like he intends a wet result, possibly stored in the syrup since it says to store in jars and there's no mention of drying.

Most of the late 16th c. English cookbooks include a candied orange peel recipe.

Produce of my estates

[helblonde.livejournal.com]

The last time I candied the limes from my yard, I tried Alice Water's technique and loved it. Take big chunks/stips of peel, pith included, and boil them until the pith is translucent. Pop them out of the water and scrape the pith out with a spoon. Slice the peel more finely. Proceed to boil the peel in sugar syrup with a bit of cream of tartar. Finally, toss them in granulated sugar and done!