Recipe: Yuzu Marmalade

1. In a large, nonreactive saucepot or rondeau, bring the water to a boil.

2. Blanch the lemons for 15 seconds to loosen their skins and activate the oils.

3. Remove the lemons and cool. Reserve the water under refrigeration to cool slightly for step #12.

4. Cut the lemons lengthwise into eighths.

5. Using a flexible paring knife, remove the lemon skins and reserve the fruit/segments and skins separately.

6. With the skins flat against a cutting board flesh-side up, use a paring knife to remove as much of the white pith as possible while keeping the skins whole. Discard the pith fine julienne the lemon skins.

7. With the remainder of fruit flesh segments, removing any excessive pith and discard. Note: Save all the seeds and the membranes surrounding the fruit segments.

8. Juice the lemons, saving the pulp, membranes and seeds.

9. Cut a 12″ x 12″ piece of cheesecloth and lay flat on a prep table.

10. Place the lemon pulp, seeds and membranes on it.

11. Roll up the cheesecloth tightly to encapsulate the lemon byproduct. Tie both ends separately with butcher’s twine and fasten an additional tie around the center of the sachet ensuring that the contents are secure.

12. In the pot with the cooled lemon water, submerge the sachet. Add the reserved lemon zest and juice. Stir to evenly disperse in the water/lemon juice.

13. Leave the pot out covered with film wrap overnight at room temperature. This will soften the seeds and extract the natural pectin to bind the marmalade.

14. The next day, remove the film wrap and bring the pot to a boil.

15. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and allow the liquid to reduce by half (roughly 1 qt.). Temporarily remove the pot from the heat and use tongs to remove the sachet. Place the sachet inside a strainer, keeping the strainer over the sauce pot. Press the sachet with the tongs to extract as much pectin as possible into the reduced liquid. Do this until all the liquid has been pressed from the sachet, then discard the sachet.

16. Off the heat, while the liquid in the pot is still warm, add the sugar, whisking constantly to dissolve.

17. Add the yuzu juice and salt to the pot and bring the contents back to a boil whisking constantly.

18. Reduce the heat and allow the marmalade to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

19. Remove the pot from the stove and pour the contents into a full-sized hotel pan. Use a spatula to scrape all ingredients from the pot.

20. Place the hotel pan under refrigeration to cool and set the marmalade.

21. Once set, transfer to desired storage containers with fitted lids and reserve.