Jalapeno-Habanero Kumquat Jam

What was that you said?

kumquats

You don’t know what a kumquat is?
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Well, neither did I until a few days ago. The sweet peeps at Melissa’s Produce sent me some and they’re cute, sweet little citrusy thingies – like a cross between a baby orange and tangarine, kinda sorta. AND OXO graciously sent me these GreenSavers to try and OMG I adore them! Check ’em out in my fridge below.

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Let me just tell you about these Greensavers. First of all, I put some cilantro in them the first day I got them. Fast forward three days later, when I would expect my cilantro to be soggy and nasty. Nope, perfectly green and perky and fragrant. I’m IMPRESSED.

So, here are the main reasons that fresh produce goes bad so quickly:

Ethylene Gas: Fruits and vegetables give off ethylene gas. Exposing produce to ethylene gas speeds up the ripening process, causing it to over ripen and go bad.
Improper Airflow: When produce rests against the walls of containers, bags or crispers, moisture can build up and cause rotting.
Uncontrolled Humidity: Fruits and vegetables require the perfect balance of humidity to keep them crisp and prevent wilting. To make things more difficult, different kinds of produce require different humidity levels.

The OXO GreenSavers are lifesavers (especially us foodies).

Ok, so back to the kumquats. Apparently, you can eat them whole, rind and all. I didn’t – but I may get brave very soon and tackle that. I decided I wanted to make jam, which I’ve never really done before, and naturally I had to heat it up. I made it with two peppers; jalapeno and habanero. It was really pretty simple. You basically deseed the little things, throw the seeds into some cheesecloth, tie them up and boil all of it with the peppers and refrigerate overnight. The next day boil all of that with sugar and…

 

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Voilà
 – Jalapeno Habanero Kumquat Jam. IMG20

I put it on multigrain crackers with slices of sharp cheddar – it’s a spicy-sweet-salty-crunchy combo that’s off the charts. I mean….this is ridiculousness.
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Holy Lord. This stuff is amazing. I’m thinking I may try making a grilled cheese with Gruyere or Brie with it.
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I love sweet/salty/spicy combinations.
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Here’s your printable-
Adapted by Local Kitchen Blog
 

Jalapeno-Habanero Kumquat Jam

Ingredients

  • 1 lb kumquats
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 medium habanero pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced
  • 3 ½ cups sugar (regular white cane sugar)

Instructions

  • Slice kumquats cross-wise into rings, popping out and reserving seeds as you go. Place seeds in a tea ball or cheesecloth bundle.
  • Add kumquats, water, seeds, and minced habanero to a medium stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium and boil, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
  • Transfer to a heat-safe bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
  • Remove and discard seeds. Return fruit mixture to the preserving pot.
  • Bring to a boil over high heat. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved.
  • Return to a boil and continue to boil over high heat, stirring only as necessary to prevent sticking, until marmalade reaches the set point, about 15 – 20 minutes.
  • Ladle hot marmalade into hot jars to ¼-inch head space.
  • Wipe rims, affix lids and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Once jars are out of the water bath and have cooled for approximately 30 minutes (still very warm to the touch) turn upside down and shake gently to distribute kumquat peel evenly through the jelly.
  • Return jars to upright position and allow to cool undisturbed overnight.
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https://www.dixiechikcooks.com/jalapeno-habanero-kumquat-jam/

Author

  • Shea

    Shea Goldstein is a writer and the voice behind Dixie Chik Cooks. She's also a recipe developer and brand ambassador. She has been published in several media platforms such as Redbook, Parade, Food Blogger Magazine and more. She has been developing recipes and writing since 2009. Shea is a Southern Belle Who's Thinking About What's For Dinner While Eating Lunch

This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. Dee

    How many jars do I need for this?

  2. Christine

    Sounds amazing!

  3. ally

    Ohhhhhhhhh those sweet kumquats just got ‘quatted’ into a fabulous jam! Verrreeee creative sweet luv! xo

  4. The Duo Dishes

    Love kumquats. You can just pop them right into your mouth, which is the best part. If you’re a drinker, this would make a great base flavor for a margarita!

    1. Shea

      What a FANTASTIC idea!!! Thanks 🙂

  5. Minnie@thelady8home

    Even I have not heard about kumquat. Thanks for sharing this. This looks so amazing, very very inviting.

  6. Adam J. Holland

    Don’t be a fraidy cat. Just pop that morsel in your mouth and go to town. ~ Those are the ‘Nagami’ Kumquats, although a couple of them look like the ‘Meiwa’ variety. How do I know this? Because I grow those plants on my front porch! Divine eating. And an outstanding jam! (Because I also grow hot peppers!) Good job, Shea. As always. 🙂

    1. Shea

      Aw, Adam, you’re the best! K, fine, I’ll just eat the whole thing – I’ll let you know how that goes…

  7. Shea

    Thanks so much Malia!!

  8. Holy smokes! This sounds amazing. Every time I turn around you’re rocking my world with your recipes! Pinned 😀

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