Prickly Pear Marmalade Food

PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITA

Steps:

• Combine the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and pear syrup in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously to incorporate. Wet the rim of a margarita glass and dip into salt and sugar mixture. Pour margarita into glass over ice. Garnish with a kumquat and a curled piece of lime peel.

PRICKLY PEAR MARMALADE

Steps:

• Do NOT peel your oranges or lemons. (small chop on oranges).
• Do wash them well to remove any wax and pesticides.
• In a large stainless steel saucepan combine the oranges, lemons and water.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium high and gently boil for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat, cover and place in a cool spot for 12 to 18 hours.
• When ready prepare canner, jars and lids.
• Bring orange mixture to a boil over medium heat.
• Boil, stirring frequently until peel is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in prickly pears, return to a gentle boil.
• Maintaining boil gradually stir in the sugar.
• Boil hard, stirring often until mixture reaches gel stage, around 30 minutes.
• Remove from heat and test gel.
• If gel stage has been reached skim off foam and ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
• Remove air bubbles, wipe rim, center lid and screw band down to fingertip tight.
• Place in canner-repeat with remaining jars.
• Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.
• Turn off heat, remove canner lid and let jars stand in canner an additional 5 minutes.
• Remove jars, cool and store.

SPICED LEMON-PEAR MARMALADE

Steps:

• Place spices in a tea ball or tie up in a cheesecloth bag.
• Process ginger and water in blender until pureed. Strain well through a fine sieve, pressing down to get as much liquid as possible. Discard the ginger and reserve the liquid.
• Take two of the lemons and quarter lengthwise. Slice the white pith off the core of each piece and remove the seeds. Slice each piece crosswise as thinly as possible, preferably with a mandoline.
• Grate the zest from the remaining lemon and squeeze the juice from it.
• Place all ingredients in a large non-reactive pan and bring up to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer until lemon peel is translucent, about 1 hour.
• Remove spice bag and discard spices.
• Pack marmalade into hot sterilized jelly jars.

GINGER-PEAR MARMALADE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.
• Stir; let stand about 1 hour until pears release their juice.
• Heat and stir until it comes to a boil.
• Cook uncovered, stirring often until pears are mushy.
• Cook rapidly, stirring constantly until jam stage is reached. This will take about 55 minutes.
• Discard spice bag, skim if needed.
• Pour into hot sterilized half pint jars to within 1/4 inch of top. Place sterilized metal lids on jars and screw metal bands on securely. For added assurance against spoilage, you may choose to process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITAS

Steps:

• Prepare margarita glass rim by dipping into lime juice, and then coarse salt.
• Put ice into a shaker.
• Add tequila, Grand Marnier, fruit and sweet and sour.
• Shake vigorously and pour into prepared margarita glass.
• Garnish with a wedge of lime.
• *Use very ripe uncooked fruit, cleaned and peeled.
• You can just slice off the stickers, if the store didn't do it for you.
• You peel a prickly pear fruit by very carefully slicing down one side of the fruit, then, using the knife, pulling back the peel until you come all the way around the fruit.
• Then puree it with either a food processor or blender, and chill.

PRICKLY PEAR ORANGE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Remove skins from prickly pears.
• Slice and remove skins.
• Cover orange with water and soak overnight.
• Add orange juice, prickly pear, and sugar to orange which has soaked overnight.
• Heat slowly and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Continue stirring frequently and boil about 30 minutes or until the mixture is thick and the fruit is clear.
• Pour into hot, dry, sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch of the top if paraffin is used; otherwise fill to the top.
• Seal.

PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITA

Steps:

• 1. Mix sugar and hot water until sugar dissolves. Add lemon and lime juice, then stir.
• 2. Add tequila, triple sec, and prickly pear syrup. Mix thoroughly and chill for one hour.
• 3. Blend w/ice until frothy. Garnish w/wedges.