Tomato Marmalade

Canning is having a moment. So is pickling, preserving, jam making and all around "putting up", as they used to say - and now do once more - of the season's harvest. And if that puts you in mind of a remote farmhouse kitchen, gingham aprons and a cellar lined with rows of apple butter, then you should know that New Media has embraced this Old Favourite with such relish is the natural next step in our increasingly sophisticated food culture. The notion of eating seasonally and locally is no longer niche - it's mainstream. And how else can you enjoy a just-picked, perfectly ripe, juicy-sweet nectarine in the dead of winter? By canning it, of course. This tomato marmalade is brightened with citrus and is versatile enough to warrant a spot on my pantry shelf, forever.

4 oranges, such as navel, Valencia or blood
6 cups sugar, divided
½ cup water
10 lbs Roma tomatoes
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

Using a standard vegetable peeler, peel the skin from the oranges in strips. Juice the oranges, saving 1 cup; the remainder can be saved for another use.

Place the juice, 1 cup sugar and the water into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then add the peel. Continue to heat until the mixture comes to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the peel appears slightly translucent and very soft, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

While the orange peel is cooling, skin the tomatoes: Cut a small X at the base of each tomato. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then drop the tomatoes in the water, several at a time. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon when the skin has just begun peeling from the X, about 20-30 seconds. Immediately place the tomatoes in an ice bath to stop the cooking, then peel the skin from the tomatoes when they are cooled. Repeat until the skins are removed from all the tomatoes.

Seed and roughly chop the tomatoes and place them in a large pot. Stir in the remaining 5 cups sugar.

When the orange is cooled, chop the orange peel. Place the chopped orange peel in a small bowl, reserving the poaching liquid.

Heat the tomato and sugar mixture over high heat, stirring frequently with a large wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula. Cook the marmalade until it begins to thicken, about 45 minutes to an hour. It will boil and bubble furiously while it cooks; stir frequently but not constantly.

Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the poached orange peel, salt and pepper, stirring constantly. Taste the marmalade. If you prefer stronger citrus notes, add some of the reserved poaching liquid now. Continue cooking until the marmalade is very shiny with a thick consistency.

Refrigerate the marmalade or can according to the jar manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes about 8 cups.