Blood Orange Marmalade {with salted butter on toasted crostini}

Directions

1. Wash the oranges in warm water, rubbing the skins to take off any wax coverings {especially if you cannot find organic or sustainably grown oranges}.
2. Trim the tops and bottoms from the blood oranges, reserving the peel caps. Cut the orange peel lengthwise into thirds or quarters and carefully peel the fruit, removing as much pith as possible.
3. Here is what makes citrus marmalade different from other fruit jam: for an added layer of flavor {& a dash of bitterness}, you want to add in the citrus peel, which needs to soften - and here's how: place the orange peel in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and slowly bring to a boil. Boil over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Drain. Return the saucepan to the stove, cover with fresh cold water and boil for another 10 minutes. Drain again {& repeat a third time, if peel is not soft to the touch}.
4. Let the peel cool for a few minutes. Take a small spoon and carefully scrape away all white pith from inside each peel segment, then stack a few peel segments and with a sharp knife cut into very fine julienne strips.
5. While the peel is boiling, separate the orange segments from the membrane. Save juices and squeeze the membranes to remove any additional juice, collecting juice and segments in a large saucepan. Discard the membranes.
6. Add the julienned peel and enough water to cover segments & peel. Slowly bring the saucepan to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until the peel is very soft - about 30-40 minutes. Test the peel by pressing between two fingers.
7. Pour in the water, a cup at a time {make sure to keep count!}, until the fruit is just covered. Bring back to boiling. Now gradually stir in the sugar {same amount of cups as water previously added} and heat up to a strong boil. Stir! For the perfect marmalade fruit/sugar ratio, I add the same amount of sugar as water {not too sweet, not too bitter}. And if the batch turns out too sweet, adding some Campari will bring back the bitterness.
8. While boiling and stirring, keep an eye on the consistency : the marmalade will begin to gel after about 10-12 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes, then pour into sterilized glasses & seal. Voila, bright year-round citrus sunshine in a glass :)