Lemon and Thyme Marmalade
It's lemon thyme! Lemons combine well with the flavours from woody herbs. We make this with thyme but you could also try it with bay or rosemary. Throw in a teaspoon of black peppercorns for a bit of bite.
This marmalade is delicious on toast with butter or with a soft cheese like goats curd or ricotta. You can also use a spoon of it for a little sweetness in a salad dressing.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg lemons
- 3 litres water
- 1 kg sugar
- Small bunch of thyme
Method:
Juice the lemons, setting the juiced halves aside. Flatten each half with the palm of your hand and thinly slice the rind into matchsticks. The thinner the better.
Put the rind, juice, water and thyme into a large, wide-mouthed saucepan or jam pot. Simmer over low heat until the citrus skin is soft and translucent, about 1 – 1.5 hours.
Turn off the heat and slowly stir in the sugar until dissolved. Then turn the heat up to medium and bring to the boil. Boil steadily, stirring every now and then until marmalade has reached setting point - instructions here.
While the marmalade is cooking, sterilise your jars - instructions here.
When the marmalade is ready, carefully spoon the into jars, wipe the rims with clean paper towel and seal immediately. Leave to cool. Check lid for the correct seal and then store in a cool dark place for up to 2 years. Once opened store in the fridge.