The first time I had kumquat marmalade along with a some sort of pastry such as a muffin or scone, I loved how the sour citrus contrasted with the sweet baked good and the refreshing sourness was so much that I wanted to make some. This recipe makes a fairly sour marmalade; it is perfect contrasted against something sweet, something mild such as quark, or even as a refreshment to nibble in between bites of a strongly flavored cheese plate (e.g. Stilton cheese). A small spoonful of this is also nice on top of an open faced jambon-brie sandwich (ham and brie, preferably black forest on top of a slice of bread which has been pan fried in butter).
This recipe only makes 1 jam jar of marmalade. You don’t need to sterilize the jam jars if you plan on eating it in just a few days. Sterilize the jar if you want to store it for longer. I didn’t think of it this time, but next time I make this it would be nice to include a tiny pinch of salt (just enough to bring out the flavors but not make it salty).
You don’t have to buy exactly 22 kumquats. Just buy a few handfuls, and then adjust the quantities in the recipe below to proportionally how many kumquats you have.
Source: Modified from “Kumquat Ricotta Tartine” from EatingFromTheGroundUp.com
Kumquat Marmalade
Ingredients:
- Approximately 22 Kumquats
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 3 Tbsp water
Specialized equipment:
(optional) crab pick tool, toothpick, chopstick, or some other small pointy tool for removing seeds
Wash and dry the kumquats. Remove the stems. Thinly slice all of the kumquats (leave the skin on, it is edible and a large part of the taste of kumquats is the skin), removing the seeds as you find them. Discard seeds.
Place kumquat slices and any the juices from the cutting board into a small heavy non-reactive pan. Add honey and water. Bring to a simmer. Simmer constantly stirring for 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Place in a clean heatproof jar with a tight fitting lid. Let cool a bit before eating.
Store in the refrigerator.
Lox, Stock, and Barrel 