Orange Apricot Jam Food

APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Toss the apricots, sugar, lemon zest and juice and vanilla in a large saucepan to combine, then mash slightly to release some of the apricot juice. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the apricots to macerate and the sugar to dissolve. Meanwhile, place a small plate in the freezer to chill; this will be used to test the doneness of the jam.
• Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. (See Cook's Note for suggested add-in.) Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until the jam becomes thick and syrupy, about 35 minutes. To test doneness, place a small amount of the jam onto the chilled plate and freeze for 2 minutes. Drag your finger or a spoon through the jam. If it holds its shape and thickness, the jam is done; remove from the heat. If it's runny, continue to cook and test again in 5-minute increments. Once the jam has reached the right consistency, transfer to jars and cool completely before storing, tightly covered. The jam will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Mix apricots and lemon juice in a large pot; add sugar. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook and stir until apricot mixture thickens, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and skim foam if necessary.
• Meanwhile, prepare jars, lids, and rings by cleaning and sterilizing in dishwasher or boiling water bath. Leave lids in simmering water until ready to seal jars.
• Ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of space on top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

APRICOT ORANGE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake well. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

APRICOT CONSERVE

Steps:

• Put a couple of small plates in the freezer. Halve and stone the apricots, chop the flesh, then put in a large pan with the apple juice. Crack some of the kernels to extract the nut inside (this is easy to do if you crack with the flat side of a heavy saucepan), then add them to the pan - this is optional, but gives extra flavour. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins, until the apricots are softened.
• Stir in the sugar and lemon juice, then stir well over a moderate heat to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat and boil for about 20 mins until jam has set. Test by spooning a little jam onto one of your cold plates. After a moment push the jam with your finger; if the jam wrinkles, it is ready. If not, return to the boil for a further 5 mins, then test again.
• Remove from the heat, skim off any scum, then stir in the butter to dissolve any remaining scum. Cool for 10 mins, stir again, then ladle into warm sterilised jars. Seal, label, then store in the fridge for 4-6 weeks.

APRICOT ORANGE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Coarsely grate and keep the zest.
• Separate the orange segments.
• Combine orange segments (minus membranes), zest, apricots and sugar.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat.
• When mixture begins to boil, start mashing.
• Reduce the heat to maintain a low boil and cook for 15 minutes, stirring constantly--apricots like to burn.
• Hot pack and seal.
• Hot water bath 15 minutes.

ORANGE-APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Mix apricots, sugar, orange zest, and lemon juice in a very large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally and skimming any scum off the top, until apricots look glassy and the liquid thickens, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Spoon the jam into 3 pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top. Seal jars and let the jam cool to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours, before transferring to the refrigerator.

APRICOT & ORANGE BLOSSOM JAM

Steps:

• Mix the apricots and sugar together, cover and leave to stand overnight.
• Put a saucer in the freezer. Tip the syrupy apricots into a preserving pan or a large, wide-based pan (the wider and more open the pan, the faster the jam will be ready, so a preserving pan is ideal). Add the lemon juice and place over a gentle heat. Once any last bits of sugar have melted, turn up the heat and boil for 15 mins. Turn off the heat and spoon a little hot syrupy jam onto the cold saucer. Once cool, push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles a little, it's ready and has reached setting point. If it is too runny to wrinkle, return the pan to the heat and boil in stages of 2-3 mins, removing the pan from the heat each time you do the saucer check, until the jam wrinkles.
• Skim the surface, then stir in the orange blossom and knobs of butter, if you like - this will help to dissolve any remaining scum. Leave the jam for 15 mins before ladling into sterilised jars (see tip, below) - this allows the fruit to settle so it doesn't sink to the bottom. Will keep in the fridge for 6 weeks.

EASY APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, combine apricots, orange juice and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature., Rinse four 1-cup plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly. Puree apricot mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth. Spoon into containers, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year. Thaw frozen jam in refrigerator before serving.

HOMEMADE APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Halve and pit apricots. Wrap half the pits in cheesecloth, and crack the remaining ones open with a hammer. Pick out the kernels and set aside. Discard the cracked shells.
• Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Place sugar in a large shallow pan and put in oven. Turn off oven and let sugar warm for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, combine the apricots and water in a large kettle over low heat. Cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the warmed sugar and wrapped pits and simmer for 30 minutes; remove pits and continue cooking until mixture reaches 221 degrees on a candy thermometer or falls in sheets from a spoon, about 15 minutes more.
• Remove from heat. Skim off and discard foam. Stir in reserved kernels, then ladle jam into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe excess jam from inside and outside rims, then seal.

APRICOT ORANGE ALMOND JAM

Steps:

• Chop the apricots coarsly and put into a large bowl. Sprinkle-on the grated zest of the oranges and the cinnamon.
• Squeeze the juice of the oranges, measure and add enough water to make 6-cups total. Pour the liquid over the fruit, gently combine, and set out overnight in a cool place (not in the fridge).
• The next day, simmer the apricots in a heavy pan until fruit is nicely tender; 1 to 2 hours. Use a potato masher to crush fruit if desired. I like the apricots in larger chunks so I don't mash them.
• Add the sugar to the pan together with juice of the lemons and the almonds.
• Cook 'til sugar is melted, then fast-boil to a setting stage. (drip some on a plate, if a skin forms on top when cooled it's ready).
• Ladle into sterile jars, seal, and process in 10-min. water bath.

ORANGE-APRICOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• With food processor running, put ginger, orange rind and lemon rind through feed tube, and chop fine.
• Add the orange juice, apricot preserves and mustard, and process to mix well.
• Wash and dry chicken breasts, and place in small bowl; pour orange mixture over chicken, and marinate until it is time to cook the chicken.
• Peel the oranges, and cut into small segments. Heat oil in nonstick skillet; brown chicken on both sides; add marinade mixture and orange pieces, simmer briskly until chicken is cooked through and marinade has been slightly reduced.