Rose-Hip Marmalade

 from 'Kay of Lifestyleblock.co.nz'

This recipe is really for the autumn, but if you are not a keen gardener either, your roses will still be sporting a healthy crop of rose-hips well into the spring - just like mine!

Rose-hips are high in Vitamin C but are often undervalued as fruits, but are great to use in preserves such as this subtle jam.

Ingredients

• 1kg rose-hip shells, seeds removed
• 175ml distilled malt vinegar
• 275ml water
• Half a vanilla pod  
• 500g sugar
• Juice of 1-2 lemons or 4 limes

Put the rose-hips, vinegar, water and vanilla in a large pan. Simmer gently until almost completely soft. Add the sugar and cook until the hips are really soft and the marmalade thickened a little. Add the lime or lemon juice to taste. Remove the vanilla pod and put into jars, preferably china, not glass, to stop the marmalade losing its colour.

 Enjoy!