Winter-is-Over Agave Citrus Jam

We’re nearing the end of citrus season, so I recently bought a giant sack of my favorite winter fruit, cuties. The problem is, since the boyfriend recently moved to Michigan for the baseball season, I’m going through food a whole lot slower than usual. I looked at my huge bag of little cuties in the fridge and realized there was just no way I could finish all of them before they shrivel up into moldy balls. So I decided to make jam—and enjoy them all through summer.

Of course, traditional jam recipes are loaded with sugar and chemicals, which basically negates all the benefits of the fresh fruit. I decided to try it with just agave nectar, the fruit, and nothing more. The consistency wasn’t exactly that of store-bought jam, but it made a slightly more viscous (is that a gross word to use when talking about food?) spread that works just as well in terms of adding fruity flavor to toast, oatmeal, or muffins. The flavor is more balanced between the tart of the citrus and the sweet of agave, making it really feel like I’m eating those little cuties atop my toast.

The Recipe
1½ pounds of cuties (anywhere between 1 and 2 pounds is fine)
¼ c. chopped peels from the fruit
2/3 c. agave nectar

1. Peel the citrus, reserving approximately ¼ cup of the peels.
2. Chop the reserved peels.
3. Toss both into a saucepan along with the agave nectar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring regularly.
4. Reduce to low, cover, and let stew for three to four hours, stirring occasionally.

5. Depending on the consistency you want, use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the fruit into a more liquid form. I gave mine a real whirl—until there were no chunks left at all—but leaving a few would be a nice touch, too.
6. Store in airtight containers, like jars or freezer-safe plastic. Use over the next week or two, or store them in the freezer.

Use What You've Got. Instead of...
* Cuties: Any citrus fruit, or combination or fruits, would do. I haven't tried this recipe with summer berries, but don't see any reason why those wouldn't work either.
* Agave: You could definitely use other sweeteners, like evaporated cane juice or plain old sugar. Whatever's in the pantry.