My Mother had a kumquat tree growing outside of her home in Florida. The kumquats would bloom every year just before Thanksgiving and Mom and I would have a great time picking them and making this wonderful compote for our Thanksgiving Feast. Although my mother and the tree are long gone I have kept the tradition going. When living in Florida I was able to find the kumquats in the grocery store at Thanksgiving time but since moving to SC I have to order on line. Google Kumquats and you will find several sites to order from.
I don’t like to add any other flavorings to this dish as I love the taste of the two bitter fruits as they are. You can always add cinnamon and nutmeg if you like those flavors. Adding won’t hurt this recipe. You can even add diced jalapeños, seeds and all, for a really different take on this compote. Adding one large jalapeño gives it just enough heat without it being to hot.
Makes 4 Cups
1 Pint Fresh Kumquats
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Cups Water
2 12 Ounce Bags Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
1 Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
Wash the kumquats and slice in half length-wise. Remove and discard the center, bitter pit and seeds. Place the kumquat peels in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to finely chop the peels. Be careful not to puree.
In a large pot such as a Dutch oven combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Boil until the sugar is dissolved and becomes a bit syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add the cranberries, kumquats, salt and bring to a rolling boil. Lower the heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring often. Skim the foam that will float to the top as you go along.
Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely. Store in air-tight containers and refrigerate for up to one month.
