Charentais Melon Orange And Cardamom Jam Recipes

CHARENTAIS MELON, ORANGE AND CARDAMOM JAM

Steps:

• Halve the melons, remove the seeds and peel the skin. Then chop the flesh into small cubes (you should have about 800 g). Clean the oranges under cold water using a brush, dry them and cut into slices. Then cut each slice into eighths. In a large bowl, mix the melon with orange, sprinkle with crystal sugar and add the lemon juice. Cover with aluminum foil and leave to stand for 12 hours (overnight).
• Preheat the oven to 100°C in order to preheat the clean jars in the oven. Pour a boiling water over the lids and dry them with a clean towel. Place a colander over a large saucepan and strain the sugary liquid off the fruit into the saucepan. Remove the colander with fruit and set aside. Bring the syrup in the saucepan to boil and cook until the temperature reaches 110°C (or when the rolling bubbles have calmed down and remind tiny pearls). Add the fruit chunks and apple juice*, bring to boil again and cook for 10 minutes or until the jam thickens. Check if the jam is done: remove it from the heat, pour a little amount of it onto a cold plate and place it in the fridge for a couple of minutes. You will see that the jam is ready when it wrinkles once touched. Once the jam is done, carefully fill the preheated jars, close them well and turn bottom up for 10 minutes and then store on a cool place.

CHARENTAIS MELONS WITH CASSIS GELEE

Steps:

• Sprinkle gelatin over water in a shallow, heatproof bowl. Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and stir until gelatin dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in mint, remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Remove mint; holding stems over bowl, squeeze liquid from leaves into gelatin mixture. Discard mint. Stir in creme de cassis, and transfer mixture to an 8-inch square cake pan. Freeze until set, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 15 minutes (or overnight).
• Spoon some of the gelee into the center of each melon half. Garnish with mint, and serve immediately.

ORANGE-RHUBARB-CARDAMOM JAM

Steps:

• Submerge 6 empty half-pint jars on a rack in a large pot of water. Cover and bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low to keep jars warm until ready to fill.
• Tumble rhubarb, orange segments, and orange zest into a wide, nonreactive 8-quart pot. Whisk together sugar, pectin, and cardamom in a small bowl, then stir into pot until combined.
• Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook, stirring frequently and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle boil, until volume has reduced by at least one-third, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pot from heat and check for set.
• Working with one jar at a time, remove empty jars from canning pot. Using a wide-mouth funnel, carefully ladle jam into jars, leaving 1/2 inch for headspace. Use a clean wooden chopstick to work air bubbles out of jars. Check headspace again and add more jam if necessary to bring to 1/2 inch from the top.
• Wipe jar rims, apply lids and bands (not too tightly), and return jars to canning pot; cover pot and return water to a rolling boil. Process for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove pot lid, and let jars stand in the cooling water 5 minutes to help ensure a good vacuum seal.
• Move jars to a folded kitchen towel or wooden cutting board to cool completely before checking seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and eaten promptly. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. They are shelf-stable at least 1 year.