Making jam with what you have to hand is one of my favourite things. This Middle Eastern carrot jam with Orange and Pistachio is a case in point. Throw goodies into a jar and they come out even better, that’s jammin!
Carrots, love’em to bits. We go through lots of carrots, I’m sure Idgy and I must have been rabbits in a past life, at least distant relatives of Bugs Bunny and we must surely have raided Mr McGregor’s veggie patch at some time in a past history.
We both nibble them raw, I make French carrot salad every week, we have them steamed, roasted, boiled, in soup, pureed, chopped and sliced.
I love making them into jam. In fact this jam is actually hitting top marks just now on the breakfast charts, it is even beating my all time favourite of apricot.
I have been making carrot jam for years, but this summer I wanted to add a bit of interest so threw in some pistachio nuts and cooked the carrots in orange juice, the results – wow, Peter Rabbit would be proud of me.
Ingredients for carrot jam
- Carrots (!)
- Oranges
- Sugar
- Lemon
- Pistachio nuts
How to make carrot jam
- Peel and chop the carrots and zest the orange and squeeze out the juice
- Cook carrots in orange juice with zest till tender then blitz in hand blender (or potato masher)
- Add the sugar and lemon juice and pistachios and heat till sugar dissolves then boil to setting point
- Ladle into sterilised jars
New to preserving? Then don’t panic, I can take you from zero to hero in no time at all.
Just check out these handy articles to get you heading in the right direction fast;
How to make great jam and marmalade
How to make chutney and relish
How to sterilise jars and bottles
Serving ideas for carrot jam
Serve this carrot orange and pistachio jam on everything from toast and scones to pancakes and toasted sandwiches with chicken or cheese.
Stir some into your Greek yogurt in the morning.
Use as a glaze on roasted chicken or pork.
Add some carrot jam to Asian and Middle Eastern recipes when you want a sweet fruity hit of flavour.
Eat your heart out bunnies this one’s for us!
Looking for more fun carrot recipes? Then check these out before you go;
Quick and easy pickled carrots
Super healthy carrot, turmeric and ginger smoothie
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
Middle Eastern carrot jam with orange and pistachio
Ingredients
- 800 g carrots
- 2 oranges zest and juice
- 500 g jam sugar
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 50 g pistachio nuts chopped
Instructions
- Peel and roughly chop the carrots.
- Grate the zest off the oranges and squeeze out the juice.
- Cook the carrots in the orange juice with the zest until they are completely tender.
- After cooking zap them to a pulp, you should get about 750g/1lb 11oz of pulp.
- Now add the jam sugar, grated zest of lemon and the lemon juice and those chopped up pistachios.
- Heat gently to dissolve the sugar and raise to a boil. Bubble away until you reach your setting point (that chilled saucer in the freezer for 5 minutes teaspoon of the jam on it and back to fridge for 5 mins to see if it sets enough) and then spoon this gorgeously bright golden zingy jam into sterilised jars .
Karon-
This jam sounds delicious! I love the ne look of the blog. Been away for awhile and am glad to be back and catching up. Hope all is well with you and Idgy.
I know you said this jam was delicious…but…I had to say it, too!!! I’ve made two batches now and even that wasn’t enough to quiet me…so I hope you don’t mind but I posted about your jam on my blog – it will be up on the 18th…it’s just too good not to share with my readers! Plus, I want them all to know about your fabulous spread in Mingle!!! YAY!!! I owe you a long email – it’s coming…so much has been going on, my head is swimming! xoxoxo! Nan
this sounds superb and cannot wait to try. One question; by jam sugar do you mean plain white sugar? Thank you.
Hi there
Jam sugar has added pectin so it helps the jam set
Glad you like the recipe
K
What a brilliant idea! I love the idea of bringing naturally sweet vegetables over into the dessert/jam/jelly world. Move over fruit! Can’t wait to try this.
This is a great start for introducing veggies to jam making, you’ll be amazed how good it is and it looks such a pretty colour too.
K x
I can’t find jam sugar in malaysia
Hi Lee,
Use normal sugar and pectin
K x
I love the flavours, Karon, but was scalded with plumping gloopy jam as I stirred, and didn’t see one wrinkle on the saucer in the fridge/freezer set test!
It tastes great and is all jarred up, but I wonder if it will set or will it just be a gloopy spread? I’m left wondering if I did something wrong or is it meant to be a gloopy spread/butter?
As aforementioned, the flavours are fab together.
Thank’s. Donna
Hi Donna
You have to be careful when making jams and jellies, they are obviously hot. You have to keep boiling till you reach the setting point and get the wrinkle or use jam thermometer.
K x