Compost Heap Jelly
Season: Anytime. This is a wonderful, frugal recipe that complements some of the other fruity preserves in the book because it uses the apple scraps and citrus skins that would normally be destined for the compost heap or bin. These skins are full of flavor and rich in pectin, so it’s a shame not to use them. For the cost of a bag of sugar (and a bit of your time), you can transform them into a really fruity, marmalade-flavored jelly. It functions nicely as an emergency breakfast preserve when your last jar of marmalade has been eaten and the seasonal Sevilles haven’t yet arrived in the shops.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about five 4-ounce jars
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the apple cores and peel and the citrus peel into a saucepan. Add sufficient water to cover (you’ll probably need about 6 cups). Bring to a simmer and cook slowly for 45 to 60 minutes–this softens the fruit and releases the valuable pectin. Turn the fruit into a jelly strainer bag or piece of cheesecloth (see p. 33) and leave overnight to drip.
Step 2
Measure the strained liquid and allow 1 cup of sugar for every cup of juice. Return the juice to the pan and add the orange, lemon, or grapefruit juice, if using. Bring to a boil, then add the sugar. Stir until dissolved, then boil rapidly, without stirring, until the setting point is reached (see p. 41), about 10 minutes or so.
Step 3
Remove from the heat and stir, always going in the same direction, until all the surface bubbles have disappeared. Pour into warm, sterilized jars (see p. 21) and either swivel or tap the side of the jars to remove any remaining bubbles. Seal in the usual way (see p. 22). Use within 1 year.
