Have you seen the Loquats ripening around Acadiana? Loquats, or Japanese Satsuma Plums, are plentiful in Acadiana, and this recipe is an easy way to preserve them.

The recipe calls for picking, washing, seeding, cooking, and canning. Very simple! Some people like to run the loquats (after the seeds are removed) through a food processor for a few seconds, as that makes for more of a marmalade. Others like to run the loquats through a juicer and cook just the juice to make a pure jam (no "bits" of fruit).

I like to run mine through the food processor, as  I don't want larger chunks of fruit on my toast.

RECIPE

• 6 cups of washed, halved, seeded loquats (before the food processor)
• 4 cups of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of ground Cardamom, or one teaspoon vanilla, or 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I prefer the Cardamom
• 1/2 cup of water, if needed
• 1-2 tablespoons pectin

Place loquats, lemon, and sugar into a pot and slowly bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Once boiling and all sugar is melted, reduce the fire until the loquats maintain a low boil/simmer. Stirring very frequently (there's a lot of sugar in there and it will start to stick if you don't continue to scrape/stir), allow the mixture to simmer for at least 45 minutes to an hour. It should thicken during this time. If the mixture isn't noticeably thicker by 40 minutes or so, add a tablespoon of pectin. If the mixture is too thick by 40 minutes or so, add a few tablespoons of hot water to help thin it out some. At this time, add the flavoring of your choice (Cardamom, vanilla, nutmeg, strawberry jello mix, etc.).

While the mixture is cooking, boil a pot of water big enough to sterilize the jars to be used for canning. The jars need to boil for at least 10 minutes.

After 50 - 55 minutes (one of my batches took only 45 minutes, another cooked for one hour, so these times are approximate), remove from heat and continue to stir for 5 minutes (until the risk of sticking subsides).

Remove the jars from the boiling water and fill to 1/2 inch full, cap (finger-tight), and then submerge in the pot of hot water for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and allow to cool overnight before putting them away.

Enjoy!