A little sweet and a little sour, this marmalade is a wonderful alternative to chutneys served with cold meats. Find the most crimson-coloured red peppers to achieve a stunning vibrant colour. It's a fabulous relish to have on hand during winter when peppers soar in price.

Ingredients

• 8 large red peppers
• ¾ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tblsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp each cayenne pepper and salt
• 1 tsp each chopped fresh rosemary and marjoram
• zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange

Method

1. Grill the red peppers under a searing hot heat until they blacken. Place in a plastic bag or lidded container and when cool enough to handle peel away the charred skin.
2. Halve, remove the seeds and core. Chop 6 peppers finely and cut the remaining 2 into fine julienne slices.
3. Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Bring to the boil then reduce to a gently simmer. Cook 10 minutes until the mixture is thick and the consistency of jam. Bottle into hot sterilised jars and seal.

Serving idea

1. Cut a 15cm circle of puff pastry and place on a baking tray. Place about 8 scallops in the centre, sprinkle with a handful of grated Parmesan cheese and bake at 220ºC for 12 minutes. Arrange a few slices of avocado and sprigs of coriander on top, dressed with spoonfuls of the Red Pepper Marmalade.

Cooks Tips

- As this recipe calls for lots of fresh lemon juice, I grate or pare the rind of the lemons before squeezing the juice. The rind that's not needed for the above recipe can be stored in an airtight bag in the freezer for later use in a lemon cake, muffins or biscuits.