Making lemon marmalade
Preserving the taste of home, summer and Portugal for the wintry months.
Before my partner and I headed north again on our roadtrip, after a week in the south of Portugal, my dad went out to his lemon tree and filled a large box with lemons, for us to take home. There must have been 6-8 kg.
This lemon tree has been there since I can remember. It had been planted by my grandfather, and as a child I picked its lemons too. Needless to say, this really meant something to me.
When we got home, I used them to make lemon water and to marinate with. Then, in an effort to keep them for longer, I decided to make lemon marmalade for the first time. This was the way I could preserve the taste of home, Portugal and Summer, for the wintry months.
I also saved some of the seeds, planted them and now I have 9 wee lemon trees.
It had me thinking about the joy of creating something. To make do, to make, to see what we have around and make something. I ended up making rosehip and apple marmalade too, but that’s a recipe for another day.
Here is the recipe:
600 g lemons
5 dl water
600 g light cane sugar (or regular sugar)
a bit of pectin, if you wish it last longer
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Wash the lemons thoroughly.
Cut off the peel and cut it into thin strips.
Cut off the bottom and top off, as well as the white pith.
Chop the lemons into slices or small pieces and remove the seeds.
Put the white pith and the seeds in a piece of gauze or a large coffee filter and close it.
Place pieces of fruit, peel strips and the bag in a pot and pour the water on.
Cook gently covered for 40 min.
Take the coffee filter up and squeeze the liquid into the pot.
Stir in the sugar and cook the jam gently for 45-60 minutes, without a lid, until it thickens. Note that lemon marmalade thickens after cooling.
Put 1 tablespoon of jam on a plate and put it in the fridge for 5min.
Pull a finger through it. If it doesn’t run back together, it’s ready. If it does, cook it 15min more.
Remove foam if there is any, add a little pectin and pour it into scalded glasses and close the lid.
Now, I’m keeping them to the colder days, perhaps they will be perfect for pancakes.
What have you made to keep the taste of summer during winter?
It really is, and it’s a lovely continuation isn’t it? Oh I’ll have to pop by to read it.
I love making preserves, although I wasn’t very busy with them this year. I’ve only made some jam and pickled pears. And I’ve also put some chopped parsley in the freezer. I hope to be making more preserves next year.☺️