The weather is fickle and we need our vitamin C to fight off common colds. Fortunately, it is citrus season, which means ample supply of natural vitamin C growing on citrus trees all around us. And as we peel, segment or juice the fruit, a pile of citrus peel is growing. Is it waste? No! It’s candied peels in the making.
Ingredients
- Peels from 4–6 medium/large oranges
- 2 cups organic cane sugar
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 tablespoon raw local honey
Preparation
Put the peels in a saucepan and fill with water. Bring to a boil on high heat, then immediately strain through a sieve. Repeat the process 2 more times. (Blanching the peels like this softens them and reduces that pith bitterness.) After the third time, return the peels to the pan, add sugar and water and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Soon as it boils, turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and let cool. Day 2: Repeat the process (bring to a boil on medium-high heat, turn it off soon as it boils, cover, cool). Day 3–7:
Repeat the process. When the peels are soft and candied, transfer the peels to sterilized (clean) Mason jars.
Add the honey to the syrup, bring to a rolling boil then take off heat and pour into the jars with the peel. Close the lid and preserve (put them in a hot water bath, just boiling, for about 20 minutes—you don’t need to do this step if you are going to use all the peels within a week to 10 days, stored in the fridge).
About this recipe
Note: Try it with any citrus you like. The candied citrus is great as garnish, chopped in salads (see page 26), in breads (do we hear Easter Bread?) or simply on its own, as a snack.
