calamansi marmalade

Below are pictures and notes documenting my calamansi marmalade project from start to finish. Having harvested a bunch this year before the onset of cooler weather, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try making marmalade with them. I found a few helpful tips and recipes from other foodblogs and websites I read which served as my guide.

The finished product taste test as shown above. The canning jars, lids and rings were washed thoroughly with warm soapy water then sterilized in boiling water for 10-15 minutes before using. I let them air dry on a wire rack while cooking the marmalade. Served with some crackers and toasted slices of French bread, the calamansi marmalade had a good balance of sweetness and citrus flavor with a slight bitterness from the strips of calamansi peel. The distinct calamansi flavor in this marmalade was unlike any other citrus marmalades I've tried.

washing the calamansi under running water

Using a small knife, slice and juice the fruits removing the seeds (above). I separated the segments from the peel, however, this step is optional. Slice the peel into strips next. I later found out that it was better not to slice the peel too thinly as they almost melted while cooking. Add 3/4 cup of water to every cup of fruit. I simmered the juice with the peel and the pulp segments in two separate pots for 10-12 minutes. Then I strained the pulp into the juice to get maximum pectin. Refrigerate the mixture preferably overnight.

The next day, pour the refrigerated mixture into a bigger pot before adding the sugar. The bigger pot ensures that the mixture doesn't boil over during the cooking process. Add 1 cup of sugar to every cup of the mixture. A tablespoon of butter may be added to prevent foaming. I learned that a candy thermometer is most helpful to precisely determine the correct temperature (ideally 220F) for the marmalade to properly set. The calamansi fruits contained lots of pectin eliminating the need for Sure Jell, a dry pectin product used for jam and jelly making.

the jars all filled up with the hot mixture

Hand tighten the lids and rings onto the jars then process them in boiling water bath for 10-12 minutes, as shown above. Using a jar lifter gadget, carefully transfer the hot jars to a towel-lined tray or cutting board. As the jars start cooling down, they will pop and seal. Jars that didn't seal properly must be refrigerated. Sealed jars may be stored in the pantry.

Homemade marmalades and jams make great gifts from the kitchen for the coming holiday season. Label them with the date they were made then wrap them in clear cellophane, as shown in the example above. Tie with a pretty ribbon or raffia.

fig update

It was fun watching our potted fig tree grow so well this year. There were times when we thought the figs would never ripen but as soon as they did, we were harvesting almost everyday. We have been patiently watching and watering it as we found out that they get easily stressed when left too dry. We read that stress will make the fruits drop. We're glad that the wait is finally over. It's harvest time! Some of the figs stayed small and never reached their full size but had to be harvested anyway as they were already ripe and ready for picking.

The bigger figs were so much more sweeter than the smaller ones. The really good ones tasted like they were dipped in honey. I also tried serving them drizzled with extra honey and sprinkled with toasted pistachios for dessert. Shown below are figs that were peeled and sliced.

this year's future fig harvest

It looks like a very promising year for our fig plant. The branches are now loaded with small fruits and we can't wait to start harvesting this summer. We're glad that this fig plant has finally recovered from it's sorry state last year when a hungry caterpillar gobbled up all of it's big and beautiful leaves. So far, we have learned that fig plants growing in pots should never be allowed to dry up or the fruits will stop maturing and ripening. My husband has been taking good care of it with constant watering and he's also keeping an eye on it for possible pests that may cause damage. Hopefully, we will be enjoying these figs pretty soon!

from my aunt's vegetable garden

Sometime ago when my aunt came to visit us, she harvested and brought some produce from her vegetable garden to share with us. It was such a treat to use them for some of our dinner meals. Here are a few samples of what I made with them.

My aunt harvested a good number of banana peppers and some are still in stored in the freezer for future use. I chose a bunch to make into the stuffed peppers shown above. I used country sausage for more flavor and browned it in a skillet. Then I drained it well before adding cheese to bind the mixture before stuffing them into the peppers. Served with some spicy salsa. 

The jalapenos were turned into these chili relleno snacks. I used cooked ground beef seasoned with chili powder and cumin and combined with grated cheese. They were dipped in beaten egg then rolled in breadcrumbs before pan frying. There wasn't anything healthy with these Mexican appetizers but all I can say is they were very spicy and flavorful.

I forgot to take pictures of the fresh cherry tomatoes prior to cooking but this fresh tomato sauce puttanesca style was what I made with them. These cherry or grape tomatoes were noticeably much smaller than those commonly sold at the grocery. Must be another variety.

My aunt also brought these nice looking ampalaya or bitter gourd. They're best used for side dishes, cut into thin slices then cooked with scrambled egg or mixed in with other vegetables.

harvest time

our patience was finally rewarded :-)

our first time to harvest figs...they're sweet and getting sweeter everyday

it's another fruitful year for our calamansi plants

juicy calamansi (calamondin citrus)...a good substitute for lemons & limes

future harvest

Looks like we may have a better harvest this year and be able to taste these fresh figs soon :-)

Last year, this fig plant was a victim of a still unknown bug or caterpillar attack. All it's big and beautiful leaves got chewed up but it's doing much better this year as shown above. We relocated it to a better spot on the deck and it's looking greener and healthier.

Looking forward to another bountiful harvest from our calamansi (calamondin citrus) plant this summer. We also repotted them to much nicer and bigger pots and moved them to a better location as well. They seem to like the fresh cool breeze circulating around them in this new spot as shown below. They get enough water here and it's much easier to harvest them in this location too.

habanero salsa project

When it comes to spicy foods and hot sauces, my husband's tolerance level goes far beyond the norm :-) He can taste the different flavors in them while my taste palate just gets stung by the heat. This post is dedicated to his recent salsa making project and I'm happy to document it here.

it all started with this ~ our potted habanero plant

a very good chili pepper harvest

Habaneros are considered to be one of the hottest chili peppers. A pair of gloves is a must when handling them making sure that nothing goes near your eyes and skin to avoid the burn. The first step was to split the habaneros and remove the seeds. Set them aside in a bowl.

using a rubber glove when slicing to protect skin from the burn caused by handling these hot chilis

Then in a saucepan combine the following ingredients:
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup chopped habanero chilis

Bring this mixture to a boil for 10 minutes. Allow to cool down. In a food processor, combine the fresh habanero chilis and the boiled vinegar mixture and puree. Transfer the salsa to a mason jar or any airtight glass container and refrigerate.

(1) using the food processor to puree the mixture (2) the bright color of the salsa is shown here (3) poured into a mason jar ready to refrigerate (4) tasting the salsa

Compared to the habanero salsa he made with his dad some years ago, this recipe, which combines the fresh habaneros with the cooked vinegar mixture, was way better since the habaneros didn't lose any heat in the cooking process. Somehow, cooking the habaneros tend to mellow them. I have to say the heat level of this salsa is definitely for hot chili pepper aficionados but for those like me who are not even sure what an SHU or scoville heat unit is, I think we'd better stick to tabasco for now :-).

calamansi harvest

Early this spring we finally repotted our citrus plants, a task that was long overdue. We also moved them to a new location in our backyard which allowed better air circulation around the plants.The result was healthier potted plants bearing more fruits :-) I've been happily harvesting calamansi or  calamondin (a popular Philippine citrus) since early last month using them mostly for marinades. It has been a summer tradition for me to post pictures of them here. Hopefully we will continue to enjoy harvesting them for many years to come.

our potted calamansi plant (above)

 

 

looking good and ready to harvest

chili pepper harvest

We planted three kinds of chili peppers this year and have started to harvest them. These jalapenos, habanero and cayenne chilis grow very well in small pots and are very low maintenance. It's fun to watch them grow and see the dainty little flowers turn into these shiny colorful chili peppers.

colorful hot & spicy sliced chili peppers

this summer's calamansi harvest

It gives me joy every summer to see our calamansi plants filled with fragrant white flowers and bearing fruits. I just hope they continue to thrive every year. We try our best to take care of them and they seem to be doing well in pots. This spring, we finally managed to repot them, a project we kept postponing. They continue to grow, flower and bear fruits in their brand new pots. I thought they would need a little time to adjust so fruit bearing may get delayed this year, but they were instantly at home in their new pots. I use them often in everyday cooking, for marinades, salad dressings, refreshing juices and many more. I seldom buy lemons and limes from the grocery during their peak growing season. This is also the most popular citrus variety we like to use in the Philippines. Summer will never be the same without them : )

basil leaves

Due to limited space with more shade than sun around our house and backyard, I know I will never be able to grow a serious vegetable garden, much as I would love to. However, we do have a few pots of chili peppers, lemongrass, citrus and herbs around. Summertime is not complete without a small pot of sweet basil leaves, which has always been on my list of herbs to plant every year. They add a fresh burst of flavor when sprinkled on salads, garnishes, pasta and other dishes. I find it very handy to have small pots of herbs for everyday cooking, snipping a few leaves as I need them. Aside from basil, we also have Greek oregano, which are great for pizzas and rosemary which I like to use for pork and chicken dishes. I will be sharing a classic pasta dish using some fresh basil leaves next.

future harvest

One of the highlights of spring and summer that I find most interesting is watching plants and flowers blooming all around us. At springtime, trees and shrubs with flowers of many attractive colors never fail to fascinate me. We have a few citrus in pots like calamansi or calamondin orange and kaffir lime which come back to life every year and start flowering from late spring to early summer. The calamansi flowers [shown above] have a wonderful citrus scent. The fruits are usually ready for harvesting by late summer until early fall. They provide me with a good supply for marinades and other uses that I no longer need to buy lemons and limes from the grocery store.

Our kaffir lime plant with tiny fruits[above].

The leaves are harvested and used in Thai and other Asian dishes.

rosemary skewered pork

Aside from chicken breast fillets, lean pork tenderloins are always in my regular grocery list. Just like chicken, there are countless ideas and ways to use them in everyday meals. One of the hits in my recipe file is this grilled pork with a mustard based marinade. It was an easy recipe shared to my cousin by a friend which she then passed on to me.
I've made this a few times, but this was the first time I used rosemary branches for the skewers. Having just pruned our overgrown rosemary plant, I thought it was a perfect time to try them. I gathered the branches and rinsed them, trimmed off the leaves but left the top for decorative purposes. The marinated pork slices [marinade recipe below] were skewered with the rosemary branches then pan-grilled. It was a great idea which added some flavor as well. I even used the extra rosemary sprigs to brush the pork with the marinade instead of a regular brush.
I served the grilled pork with a Mediterranean-inspired salad (shown above) with mini pasta, barley, fresh Greek oregano, cubed cucumbers and tomatoes. Crumbled feta cheese may be added as well. The dressing was a simple yoghurt, sour cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper combination which worked well and was a refreshing touch served with the pork.

GRILLED PORK MARINADE

2 tablespoons dijon mustard (yellow or spicy brown mustard may also be used)
3-4 cloves minced garlic
chopped fresh rosemary leaves (dried rosemary may be substituted)
olive oil
salt and pepper

In a bowl or container, combine all the ingredients then add the pork slices. Turn the slices over and allow the marinade to coat them well. Cover tightly and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

backyard chili peppers

I gathered these pepper leaves and tabasco chilis the other day when I made chicken tinola. This is a very simple but classic Filipino soup using fresh ginger as a key ingredient with the pepper leaves adding a distinct flavor to the broth. The pepper leaves looked so green and fresh, ready to be harvested and thrown in the soup. The tabascos are so easy to grow.

We now have four kinds of chili peppers (shown above) growing in one pot. We have habanero, tabasco, jalapeno and bell peppers. They seem to be happily growing together.

kaffir lime plant

Asian cuisine will certainly be incomplete without these very aromatic leaves, a prime ingredient in curries, soups and stews. Although I don't think it's commonly used in Philippine cuisine, it's widely used in Thai, Indonesian and other Asian cuisine. We've had this plant for a few years now and so far it's still growing well. I've read that it can sometimes be difficult to get this plant to bear fruit but ours doesn't seem to have any problem at all. The kaffir lime zest is used for cooking and the lime also has medicinal uses as well.

kaffir limes (above) with their characteristic bumpy peel

It took us sometime to find this unusual lime plant since they don't really sell it in these big garden chain stores, and we had to go to a special local herbal and garden shop which sells more exotic plants. I remember we were told that some chefs in our touristy area come to their shop for this plant. Not very cold hardy, we have to take it to a more sheltered location when cooler temperatures set in but it's a lovely and interesting citrus plant that's a great addition to any garden or citrus plant collection.

backyard jalapeno harvest

Thanks to my father-in-law, after almost five years since he gave this jalapeno plant to us, we're still harvesting and enjoying these good looking hot peppers from the same plant. My father-in-law no doubt has a green thumb and it takes somebody who's good with plants to start if off really well. It's much easier to take care of an already established plant and this one is definitely still thriving out here. They're very handy to have, we just pick one or two whenever we need them. My husband has an extreme tolerance for hot sauces and hot chiles and some of these jalapenos live up to his level. Back in Manila, it's my sister-in-law who has the green thumb. She would grow orchids and other exotic plants and flowers along the limited space by the side of our house there. She would just pluck a twig or a sprig from a neighbor's plant, stick it to the ground and it would grow. It's just amazing, especially for me, with no success whatsoever growing plants that way. That's why, I really appreciate being able to just buy these ready to plant flowers, plants and herbs in these big garden stores every year. Growing flowers has been much more successful and enjoyable for me here.