28 Aug Preserved Lemons: make a wonderful homemade gift
Preserved lemons are super easy to make, a great pantry staple to spice up many dishes and also a wonderful homemade gift, writes Roberta Muir
There are a few ingredients I couldn’t cook without: salt, olive oil, butter and lemons! Their juice lifts other flavours, balance salt and sweet, and cleans up the richness of fats and oils. They’re a great way to use up excess fruit from a backyard lemon tree or wait until lemons are in season (and inexpensive) then make a big jar that will keep you supplied for ages.
INGREDIENTS
- 5 large, thick-skinned lemons
- ¼ cup rock salt (80g/3oz)
- 5 black peppercorns
- 5 coriander seeds
- 1 dried bay leaf
METHOD
- Scrub lemon with a plastic scourer to remove any wax.
- Starting from the stem end, cut almost all the way through into quarters, leaving about 1cm (½″) intact at the base.
- Pack salt onto the exposed flesh then reshape.
- Pack into a sterilised jar, pressing down to release some juice and sprinkling pepper and coriander between layers. Tuck the bay leaf in somewhere too.
- Top with boiling water so that lemons are completely submerged.
- Store in a cool, dark place for 30 days, shaking or turning the jar frequently.
- Makes 20 pieces
Roberta Muir is the author of four cookbooks, a certified cheese judge and Sherry educator, and a restaurant reviewer and cooking teacher. She also has a Master of Arts degree in Gastronomy. You can find out more about her via her weekly newsletter.
