Have loads of zucchini or courgette from your garden harvest? Looking to put to good use or preserve it. Try this Lemon Ginger Zucchini Marmalade. An easy peasy one-pot marmalade made using fresh garden Zucchini, ginger, and lemon.
It has a slight zingy taste from the lemon which is balanced by the sweetness from the sugar. One cannot taste the lemon much but it definitely balances the taste as well as acts as a natural preservative or pectin in this Zucchini Marmalade.
Natural Pectin
This Lemon Ginger Zucchini Marmalade or Zucchini jelly is free from any processed pectin available commercially. I am using lemon here as pectin. That is, lemon skin is here used as the natural pectin. Pectin is a soluble fiber generally used as a thickener in jams, jellies, and preserves.
Pectin helps the jelly, jam, or marmalade to hold together. Fruit pectin is a starch that is naturally present in fruits and berries and helps provide structure to the jellies.
What can I use instead of Pectin?
Pectin is generally found in all fruits, but more in apples and lemons, and one of the reasons you will find jams, jellies, or preserves contain some amount of apples or lemons. One can use commercially available pectin too, but I have never used it so cannot comment much.
Using lemon as a Pectin
I am using the whole lemon here. I peeled the outer yellow skin of the lemon and added it to the marmalade. The inner white pith and the seeds are tied in a small cloth and added to release the pectin into the marmalade. Not adding the white pith to the marmalade as it would leave a bitter taste when you eat it.
Extracting Pectin from the Lemon
One can collect the seeds and the skin of the lemon and refrigerate them. When enough the pectin is made by boiling it in water. However, I have not tried this yet. Instead, I directly added the skin and the seeds to the lemonade and it worked. I did almost the same thing for my Instant Pot Nasturtium Grapefruit Marmalade and it worked too.
Recipe process of Lemon Ginger Zucchini Marmalade
The recipe is quite simple and easy. All I did was add all the ingredients to a big heavy bottom pan and let it cook. Grated Zucchini, ginger, lemon peels, lemon juice, and sugar. The white pith and the seeds were added to a small cloth. First I let the mixture reach a boiling point. I then let it simmer so that the zucchini and the lemon peels get cooked. I did grate the zucchini a bit thick as we like a chunkier marmalade but you can grate it finely.
Ingredients used in Lemon Ginger Zucchini Marmalade
Zucchini/Courgette/Marrow – The main ingredient in the recipe. Using my big-size garden harvest for this.
Ginger – Ginger is added for a taste here and for its nutritional value. One can skip this completely.
Lemon – The whole lemon is used. The juice and the yellow outer skin are added to the marmalade. The white pith and the seeds are used to gel the marmalade in the form of pectin and are discarded later.
Sugar – I am using Demerara sugar. One can use white granulated sugar too. Sugar is needed in any jam or jelly as it helps to jell the marmalade as well as act as a preservative.
Flavorings or spices
I have not added any nutmeg or cinnamon to this, but one can add a little for taste. In this recipe, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder and ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg powder will work.
Shelf life
I have kept this Lemon Ginger Zucchini Marmalade in the fridge for a year and it stayed good. I believe it would stay good out too if proper hygiene conditions are maintained.
Canning of Jam
I have never done canning so cannot comment much. But if you do canning, can this Zucchini Marmalade and it should stay good outside. Once opened refrigerate the jar.
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Few more Jam/Marmalade/Chutney (Preserve) Recipes
Lemon Ginger Zucchini Marmalade
Ingredients
- 2 cup Grated Zucchini -286 grams
- 2 Lemons
- Juice of 2 lemons -40 grams
- Yellow skin of 2 lemons -30 grams
- Seeds + White Pith of Lemons
- 2 cup of Sugar -400 grams
- 2 inches of chopped ginger -30 grams
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder -If using
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder -If using
Instructions
- Rinse the lemons, zucchini and ginger thoroughly and get rid of any impurities.2 cup Grated Zucchini, 2 Lemons, 2 inches of chopped ginger
- Dry them completely with a clean kitchen towel.
- Peel the outer yellow skin from the lemons. Leave the white part.2 Lemons
- Finely chop the outer yellow skin and keep it aside.Yellow skin of 2 lemons
- Juice the lemons in a small bowl. Do not discard the seeds. Keep the seeds separate.
- Now slice the white pith of the lemons and add them to a small clean muslin cloth along with the seeds.Seeds + White Pith of Lemons
- Tie a knot and keep it aside.
- Grate the zucchini and keep it aside.
- Slice the ginger into julienne or as desired and keep it aside. It is going to soften so any shape is fine.
- In a heavy bottom, add in the grated zucchini, cut ginger, yellow lemon peels, juice of 2 lemons, sugar and the tied cloth.Juice of 2 lemons, 2 cup of Sugar
- Bring the mixture to a boil stirring in between.
- Once you get a boil let this cook on medium for 15-20 minutes.
- Once you see that the zucchini and the lemon peels are softened, let the mixture come to a rolling boil.
- You can check if the marmalade is done using a wrinkle test on a cold plate. Once the marmalade seems to be done, add a drop or teaspoon to the plate. Wait for a min and then press it against your fingers. If the surface wrinkles it means it is done.
- Alternatively, you can use a candy thermometer. Once the temperature reaches 104.5 deg c or 220 deg F you are done.
- Switch off. Do not let it go over 220 Deg F or the jam or marmalade will ruin it.
- Remove the cloth and discard the lemon peel and seeds.
- Add cinnamon and nutmeg powder, if using and give a quick mix.1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- Let it cool completely before filling it in jars.
Notes
- Keep everything sterilized and clean.
- The jars should be well sterilized in hot water and completely dry before using.
- To store any Jam, Jelly, or Marmalade it is best to use glass jars.
- Use clean kitchen towels.
- Use clean and sterilize vessels, knives, or anything you are using.
- Always use a clean and sterile spoon to take the marmalade out of the jars.
- Cooking time may vary as it depends on a lot of factors. How thick or thin you have cut the fruit, the size of the pan as well as the heat at which you are boiling the fruit.
- The measurements given for lemon are a rough guide. I have used medium size lemons.
- Use a large vessel to cook, as the sugar bubbles up and there are chances to spill over.
- A candy thermometer is not essential but it would help you determine the setting point accurately.
- The marmalade might be liquid at the start. Do not worry it will thicken as it cools down.
- Wait for a day and then check. If it’s thick, then you can re-boil it, but do not overdo this. One can even add around half lemon juice to help it thicken.
- Cool down completely and then fill it in glass jars.
- Read above for substitutions
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Swati
Tuesday 2nd of August 2022
Never thought of making Zucchini Marmalade .. this sounds so delicious and nutritious too.. and good for digestion with lemon and ginger.. going to try this soon.. Great share Renu!!