Things come in waves. One day, there were the Hairy Bikers on television tasting bergamots in Italy and then I find bergamots on sale in my local greengrocers and again in Waitrose. Nigella Lawson too has found bergamots. In At My Table, her latest book, she writes, ‘(bergamont) has a mild, almost sweet heat and distinctive lemoniness’. Time to make a new marmalade!

9 organic Seville oranges
3 unwaxed lemons
2 bergamots
2 large sweet oranges, flesh only
A ‘thumb’ of root ginger, peeled and sliced (optional)
Approx. 3½lb (1.75kl) granulated sugar

Not truly a recipe as my marmalade evolved. Start by cutting the Seville oranges, lemons and bergamots into quarters and putting the pulp, flesh and pips of the Seville oranges into one large bowl together with the quartered lemons, bergamots and the ginger root (if using), Either mince the Seville orange peel in a food processor or slice it very finely and put this into another large bowl together with the finely chopped flesh of two sweet oranges. Add enough cold water to both bowls so you can see it in the bowls without drowning the contents. Cover and leave to stand overnight.

The next day, tip the contents of the bowl with the pips etc into the preserving pan and let it boil gently for about 1½ hours or until the contents are soft. When cool enough to handle, strain it through muslin.

While the contents of the first pan are being strained, clean out the preserving pan and tip into it the contents of the second bowl and let this boil for about 1½ hours or until the skins are soft. Test by breaking a piece of skin between your finger and thumb.

When this is cool, and the pulp mixture strained, measure both the strained liquid and orange pulp as they are returned to the preserving pan. Put on a medium heat and add the sugar Good old imperial measurements; for every pint of liquid add a pound of granulated sugar (or in metric terms for every 600 ml of liquid add 400g sugar). Bring to the boil, stirring to be sure the sugar is dissolved. Then let it boil briskly, moving any scum to the side, until the marmalade is set This could take 20 minutes or more. Test by putting a small amount on a saucer and leaving it in the deep freeze for five minutes. If a skin forms when you draw a finger across, it is set and ready to pot.

Using a jug, pour into warm sterilised pots.

Bergamots from Italy (left) and Morocco. [ Picture:  Diana Cray ]