RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Linda Olson Citron [Etrog/Esrog] Preserves - pareve
In reply to your request: I have my mother's 1941 "Jewish Cookbook" by Mildred Grosberg Bellin and published by Block Publishing Company of New York. There are a significant amount of recipes in this book on jellies, jams and preserves. One important thing to note is that the fruit with pectin, such as apple will help the congeal or jell. Slightly less ripe fruit will contain more pectin. To make very acidic fruit jell , you need to mix a sufficient amount of pectin with those fruits. Fruit with a large amount of pectin are apple, currents, crabapples, grape, raspberries, blackberries, blueberriess, quinces and goosseberries. Liquid pectin is available at resturant supply, or other sources, but this may be seasonal. "Amber Marmalade" uses 1 med. orange, grapefruit and lemon. To mke Etrog/Citron preserves, I would eliminate the grapefruit as this may be very bitter and replace it with the orange or try applesauce and use slightly less pectin. You could also use grated apple and some carrot to sweeten--you can experiment to achieve the flavor only by taste testing the liquid and then adding the pectin to the batch you prefer. This recipe is for Citron Preserve. Pare and core the citron; cut into strips and notch the edges or cut into fancy shapes (garnish slicers may help) Allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and to 6 pounds of fruit, allow 4 lemons and 1/4 pound of ginger root. Tie the ginger in a cloth (cheese cloth) and boil it in 1-1 1/2 quarts of water until the flavor is extracted; then remove it and add to the water the sugar and the juice of the lemons; stir until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear; take off any scum; then add the citron and cook until it is clear, but not soft enough to fall apart. Can and seal while hot. This recipe does not say how much it yeilds. I would purchase the pint - wide mouth jars and always use new lids. Follow the directions on the jar box for processing. You will need a couple of large soup kettles and it is important to get a jar-lifter. Enjoy!!!
