Photo of The Day: 27/365 – Preserved Lemons

I love these lemons. See? They keep for a long time.

Are you tired of the same old citrus? Do you have trouble with your lemons spoiling before you can use them? I have a solution for you – Preserve them.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for preserving. I don’t have a problem with lemons going bad, but I do like the flavor these give. Turns out preserved lemons have been around for ages. (The great Wikipedia says they have been around since the 1800’s. Who wants to argue with Wiki?)

One can substitute limes or even grapefruits for the pickle. They go great with pasta dishes, fish, stews of the Moroccan fashion. They will keep almost indefinitely in the fridge.

This is NOT a fast fix – these babies will take over 30 days to properly set. The wait will be worth it, I promise!

Preserved Lemons

Make 12 lemons

Ingredients:

• 12 lemons, scrubbed, slit in quarters, but NOT entirely through
• 100 grams coarse salt
• 15 grams coriander seed
• 5 bay leaves
• 5 dried red chili
• 6 2 inch sticks of cinnamon

Method:

1. Slice through the core of the lemon, taking care not to slice all the way through. You will have a nice lemon flower.
2. Grab one lemon at a time; sprinkle the salt inside; place into container face up.
3. Pack all the lemons you salt tightly into container; arrange them attractively so they will look good while brining. (It is for show as well!)
4. Push in the seasonings, sprinkle the rest of the salt inside the container. If you find that the amount of liquid in the jar is not covering the lemons, add a bit of lemon juice to cover.
5. Do not refrigerate them yet. Avoid the temptation for at least 48 hours. The salt will give off liquids. (If the lemons are not under the liquid, put a weight to keep them down.)
6. Once the lemons are on their way, put them in the refrigerator in the back for at least 30 days before using them.
7. To use, wash off brine, separate pulp from the rind, and use according to the recipe.