Florida kumquat cranberry sauce

Merry Christmas from Florida:

We live close to one of the few kumquat farms in Florida. They are quickly becoming a very popular fruit throughout the United States, so we decided to make a Christmas cranberry sauce with Nagami kumquats. (You can order fresh Nagami kumquats through www.shopzeus.com from November to March.) They have a very unique taste and flavor. Make sure you use the kumquat peel and pulp in the recipe below. The peel is sweet and the pulp is tart. Kumquats originated in China and are grown primarily in the hills of the Hunan province where they are harvested in the summer. They are perfect for Florida where they are harvested beginning in November. There is a kumquat festival held each year in Dade City, Florida where you can taste everything from kumquat salsa and honey to kumquat marmalade, butter, chutney, and even a kumquat barbecue sauce. We also sell these on our website.

Nagami kumquats

Ingredients (serves 12):

• 6 – tangerines, peeled and sliced perpendicular to the stem to remove seeds – separate sections
• 8 – Nagami kumquats (slice to remove seeds), finely chopped (peel included)
• 1 cup – light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon – fresh ginger, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon – ground clove
• ¼ teaspoon – salt
• 6 cups – fresh cranberries
• 1 ½ cups – frozen (thawed) or fresh blueberries

Preparation:

Add the tangerine sections, kumquats, brown sugar, ginger, cloves, and salt to a large Dutch oven.

Tangerine sections.

Bring the mixture to boil, and stir until the brown sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cranberries and continue to simmer about 8 minutes until the cranberries pop. Add blueberries and cook until the sauce thickens, at least a half hour.

Cranberries and blueberries added.

Cover and place in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Voila

Cook until sauce is thick.

J. Botticelli