Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Produce
- 500 g green tomatoes, firm, unripe, halved and very thinly sliced
- 150 g lemon, halved, seeded, and paper-thinly sliced
Pantry
- 400 g granulated sugar
- 100 ml water
- 1 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Wash the green tomatoes and lemon thoroughly. Slice the green tomatoes into thin slivers. Cut the lemon in half, pick out and discard all visible seeds, and slice the lemon as thinly as possible.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sliced green tomatoes, sliced lemon, granulated sugar, water, and salt. Stir well to ensure the sugar coats the fruit completely.
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring frequently to prevent the sugar from scorching on the bottom.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the lemon pith turns translucent and the syrup reaches 105°C/220°F. This will take about 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. This resting period helps the fruit suspend evenly in the syrup rather than floating to the top. Carefully ladle the hot marmalade into sterilized jars and let cool completely.
Chef's Notes
- Green tomatoes are naturally high in pectin, which helps this quick marmalade set beautifully without the need for any commercial pectin additions.
- Slice your lemons as thinly as possible. Using a sharp mandoline ensures even extraction of flavor and guarantees the quick softening of the pith during the boil.
- Always let the marmalade rest for exactly 5 minutes off the heat before transferring it to jars. This slight cooling thickens the syrup just enough to hold the fruit in suspension.
- Ensure your green tomatoes are completely unripe and hard. If they have begun to soften or blush red, their pectin content drops significantly and the marmalade will be runny.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 month — Keep tightly sealed in a clean jar.
