When life gives you blood oranges, make marmalade

Hurrah for blood oranges! The sunny, sweet, sour and bitter oranges — in shades of pink to ruby red — brighten my salads as well as my spirits. Originating in the southern Mediterranean region, they come to us from Texas and California and are now in high season.

Thanks to their gem color and brilliant raspberry-flavor notes, they are the focus of the marmalade that graces my morning toast and scones. This year, especially, its uses are many: It makes a marvelous glaze for chicken and pork and sparks mashed sweet potatoes and carrots. I whisk it into vinaigrette, brush it over muffins as they come warm from the oven, stir it into yogurt for breakfast and slather it over cornbread.

Most marmalade recipes are too long and complicated for this impatient cook. But Mette Nielsen, whose beautiful photos bring this column to light, has created a streamlined process for making marmalade much easier and quicker. No need for a candy thermometer or "water bathing" the jars. Her recipe is for small batches, and the jars can be frozen or stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. I guarantee they won't last long.

The fruit is simply sliced, macerated in water, then simmered until soft and sweetened with sugar. She adds a vanilla bean to the pot for flavor and fragrance and a pinch of red pepper to give it some kick. But you might swap them out for seasoning, such as a cinnamon stick or a pinch of black pepper.

You can use just about any citrus in this recipe, though the ratio of fruit to sugar will vary depending on the sweetness and juice content of the fruit. It takes a little effort, but the best part of making your own marmalade is in making one you like.

Makes 6 half-pints.

It's nearly impossible to get all of the seeds out of a blood orange before you put them into the pan, but the seeds will float to the surface as the marmalade simmers and can then be skimmed off. From Beth Dooley and Mette Nielsen.

• 4 c. water

• 1 1/2 c. sugar

• 1 vanilla bean

• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Put the orange slices into a 10-inch sauté pan with the water. Cover the pan and allow the fruit to macerate at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours.

Place a small plate in the freezer for the set test. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds into the oranges, then add the vanilla bean and the crushed red pepper flakes to the pan. Bring the marmalade to a gentle boil over medium heat, cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. Stir in the sugar and continue simmering, uncovered, until the mixture is sticky and thick, about 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and discard the vanilla bean. Put a dollop of the cooked marmalade on the cold plate, return it to the freezer for about 2 minutes, then remove. If you can run your finger across the marmalade and it holds its shape, it's ready to spoon into jars. If not, return the pan to the stove to continue simmering and test again.

When the marmalade is ready, spoon into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom to allow for expansion. Wipe the rims with a clean, wet towel, add the lids and bands, and finger-tighten the bands so they're secure. Cool, tighten the bands, and store the jars in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze.