Plums' marmalade: A tasteful and simple super food delicacy!

This is tasty, full of aromas marmalade made of plums. Plums are rich in fibres, vitamins and metals. They are a super food useful to control blood pressure, diabetes, constipation, anaemia, cancer and osteoporosis.

I believe that the months that are between the vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox, i.e. end of March until end of September, are full of tasty fruits and vegetables and I try to make the most out of them! This plums’ marmalade was a first trial and I think a successful one.

Ingredients: 1.5kg plums (the dark ones) cut in four pieces; remove the seeds, but keep the kernels of some of them for flavour – these will be removed in the end. Also, 1kg of brown sugar, 1/3 small tbsp vanilla powder, the juice from two lemons and 2 oranges, ½ small tbsp mastic powder (optional) for the aromas.

I prepared my fruits by cutting them into four pieces and putting them into a deep pot along with the sugar and into the fridge for some hours – I let them rest in the sugar for 12 hours. Once I remove the pot from the fridge, the sugar will have become syrup. I start cooking the fruits on the burner at high temperature until they boil and then I lower the temperature to law-medium.

I let the fruits simmer for about 1 ½ hours and stir every 10’. Half way of the simmering process, I put the kernels in a gauze and then into the pot and I remove them towards the end of my cooking – these are useful to add a flavour, sort of bitter almonds’ aroma; I also add the vanilla powder, the juice from the lemon and the orange and the mastic powder.

I turn off the heat and let it rest. I taste the marmalade. If it is thick for your tastes you can re-simmer adding some orange juice and lemon juice or water. I prefer thick texture.

I place my marmalade in sterilised jars.

Enjoy!