Meyer Lemon and Amaretto Marmalade

I was hoping to have this post out a little bit sooner, but I have something to admit. I totally played hooky today. The sun was out, it was 64 degrees and the day was absolutely glorious! I could not take the chance that this might not happen again for awhile, so I said, what the heck, jumped in the car and ran off!

Anyway, now that I have gotten that out of my system (not really) and I  did a little cruising and shopping, I am prepared to settle in front of the computer and bang this post out! Just so you know, I will be hitting the back deck shortly (with a glass of wine in hand). 😉

Cut these as thin as you can and remove the white pith.

If you are reading this post, that means you are on my website and just might have noticed that it looks a wee bit different! I am excited to introduce you to the new Bunkycooks! I am still doing a bit of updating, so pardon anything you find under construction. It should be complete shortly (except for all those old posts with scary photographs…there is no helping them out!).

I have to thank my awesome designer, Lindsay, at Purr Design. I think she has captured exactly the look and feel that I wanted for the direction of the blog.  Thank you so much to Lindsay!

It takes lots of Meyer Lemons to make this marmalade.

Now, to celebrate the new site, what better way to start it out than with a recipe for Meyer Lemons! A picture of the Meyer Lemons from Kim at Rustic Garden Bistro even made it on the back side of my new business cards! I am truly obsessed with these lemons!

By the way, I will be having a fun giveaway on the next post (so stay tuned), but for now, you get lemons!

The marmalade needs to cook for quite a long time.

You might remember (and if not, I will tell you!) just how many Meyer Lemons I received in the mail a few weeks ago. First, I had the really nice and quite manageable shipment from Kim in California. Then, I got the crate of Meyer Lemons from Duda Farm Fresh Foods and well…what’s a girl to do with sooo many lemons?!  If you ask, I just might tell you.  Heck, I just might tell you anyway!

Be sure to skim the foam from the top of the marmalade as it cooks.

So, here goes…I have been making moonshine (Limoncello). That stuff is brewing in the basement, so check back in another month or two to hear about that. I’ve made several versions of Preserved Meyer Lemons, Meyer Lemon Curd, Meyer Lemon Roasted Chicken with Herbs, Italian Ricotta Cheesecake with Meyer Lemon zest, I’ve frozen the juice, made Meyer Lemon infused Olive Oil and my personal favorite, Meyer Lemondrop Martinis!  (Are you surprised?!)  What else can one do to preserve these lemons??? Make marmalade!!

Now this is not just any old marmalade. You know how we love to add booze to just about anything here at the Bunkycooks and this marmalade was no exception! Amaretto and Meyer Lemons go great together! Just ask the cheesecake! 😉

Maybe some of you don’t care for marmalade, but please don’t think about comparing this with that old nasty marmalade in the jar at the grocery store. This tastes nothing like that. This is homemade and fabulous!  Trust me, your toast will never be the same!

This recipe for marmalade was adapted from Food and Wine.  Supposedly, it was the shorter version to making marmalade.  This took long enough, so I don’t think I’d be making the other version. Be sure to slice and chop the rind really fine for this marmalade and remove as much of the white pith as possible. I wish I had cut my rind a teensy bit smaller.  I added a good bit of Amaretto, so if you want a less “boozy” flavor, add a bit at a time to suit your tastes.

You will need to get the canning gear out for this one, so while you are at it, make a few batches!  It’s that good!

Your bread or toast will thank you!

Meyer Lemon and Amaretto Marmalade

Adapted from Emily Kaiser and Food and Wine
Makes 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 pints

Ingredients:

12 medium organic Meyer Lemons (3 pounds) *If you don't use organic lemons, be sure to wash and scrub the peels well.
3 1/4 cups sugar (I added an extra 1/4 cup sugar)
1/4 cup Amaretto

Directions:

Rinse the lemons and pat dry. Halve the lemons crosswise and juice them, reserving the juice. Using a spoon, scrape the pulp and seeds from the halves. Using a sharp knife, slice the peels 1/8 inch thick. (* I suggest you slice them very thin and remove as much of the pith as possible to avoid bitterness in the marmalade.)

In a large, heavy saucepan, cover the strips with 8 cups of cold water and bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Drain the strips and rinse under cold running water. Blanch two more times; the final time, drain the strips but do not rinse them.

Return the strips to the saucepan. Add the reserved juice and the sugar. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then skimming any foam, until the marmalade sets, about 30 minutes. (* Mine took almost an hour to totally cook. I then added the Amaretto and cooked it a few minutes more.)

Spoon the marmalade into hot 1/2-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top, and close with the lids and rings. To process, boil the jars for 15 minutes in water to cover. Let stand at room temperature for 2 days before serving.

Make Ahead
The processed marmalade can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.