ORANGE-CARROT MARMALADE

I have become enamored with marmalades.  Their taste is like a grown-up Sweet -Tart making one want to pucker up and smile all at the same time.  I recently made a lovely, pale, light on the peel Pink Grapefruit Marmalade, but I wanted to do something more, something bright and orange.

I wanted to find the perfect balance between fruit and vegetable, something simple so the colors and flavors enhanced each other like Ying and Yang, Popeye and Olive Oyl, Yogi and Boo-Boo, and what the heck, I wanted to make something the children would like too, now, not later when they are all grown-up. 

The result of my desire is Orange - Carrot Marmalade, which is not only eye candy in a jar, but just a little sweeter than traditional marmalade, fulfilling my desire to entice the children to partake of, because they like it.  Of course, I didn't invent this particular pairing, there are a number of recipes floating around cyberspace, and I am not sure who did, but that really doesn't matter. I've discovered it now and made it my own.  As far as I know, you won't find this on any supermarket shelf, but then again, that just makes this marmalade taste so much better.

ORANGE - CARROT MARMALADE

INGREDIENTS

4 Cups grated Raw Carrots

4 Lemons

2 Oranges

Water, about 3 Cups

4 Cups Sugar

1 Tablespoons Butter

Pinch salt

DIRECTIONS

Scrub clean and squeeze oranges and lemons reserving the juice.

Slice the rinds of 1 orange and 2 lemons, place the remaining peels and pits into cheesecloth (see directions in Pink Grapefruit Marmalade) and/or set  peels aside to dry for Citrus Zest.

Cook citrus peels in 3 cups of water over medium heat until tender--about 30 minutes.

Add the grated carrots and  another 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce and cook until soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the orange and lemon juice.

Add sugar all at once. Stir constantly, cooking slowly until all sugar is dissolved. Take your time may take from 30 to 40 minutes. Once you are sure sugar is dissolved, bring to a hard boil. Boil for a minute or 2 - (Candy Thermometer at 220 F if thats your thing)

Remove from heat. Add pinch salt and 2 teaspoons butter. Stir until incorporated.

Ladle into hot half pint or pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps.

Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

It may take a week to jell, but if you are anxious  you can add 2 Tablespoons Pectin when you add the grated carrots.

Yield: about 3 to 4 pints or 6 to 8 half pints.