Oranges confits with Lady Grey, pt. 2: the recipe

Christine Ferber's original recipe calls for Earl Grey tea. We're particularly fond of "the Lady," though, so we thought we'd improvise a little. Lady Grey doesn't have Earl Grey's distinctive bergamot flavor. It's a sweeter and more delicate tea, with strong hints of citrus. It's only made by Twinings and it's quite a bit harder to find than their standards (Earl Grey, English Breakfast, etc.), but it's worth the search. We're lucky that our local gourmet specialty store stocks it.

1.1 kg oranges
900 g Granny-Smith apples
1 kg sugar
900 g water + 200 g
2 organic oranges
30 g Lady Grey tea, loose
1 lemon, juiced

Quarter the apples and cover them with 900 g water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat until tender. Pass juice through a sieve, then a fine linen cloth to produce a clear liquid. Let this juice sit overnight in a cold place.

Weigh out 500 g of the apple juice, leaving behind the sediment that has formed at the bottom.

Juice the 1.1 kg of oranges, keeping the pulp, juice and seeds. Weigh out 500 g of juice and pulp. Place the seeds in a muslin bag and tie.

Wash the organic oranges and slice into thin rounds. Poach the slices in 200 g of sugar and 200 g of water. Stir gently and simmer until the rinds become translucent. Add the apple juice, the orange juice and pulp, the lemon juice, the sugar, and the orange seeds. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 min., skimming foam carefully.

Steep the tea in 200 g of boiling water for 3 min. Strain tea, add to the pot, remove the seeds in the muslin cloth and bring to a boil. Check the consistency of the mixture, skimming foam as needed. Pour into sterilized jars and can according to manufacturer's instructions.

Makes 6-7 250 ml jars.

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