Preserved lemons

[brenk]

Everybody should have a jar of these on the go *g*. So, considering it's sooooooooo easy, here's how you do it. And with the result, you can do wondrous things with veg, fish, meat, etc. (see later). There are variations on the method that include oil or water or herbs, but this is how Moroccans do it (and again - SO EASY).

Comments

[estoile]

Thank you thank you thank you!!! I've seen preserved lemons, but I've never seen any suggestions as to how to use the silly things! (I'm sure they're not really silly, but they seem so when one doesn't know how to use them ...)

This all sounds wonderful. I expect they'd be glorious in salads, too.

I can see that I'll have to make some as soon as humanly possible. Now I just have to figure out who I know with a lemon tree ... (No point paying for them if I can get them for free, huh?)

Thank you!!!

[brenk]

Yep, salads too - particularly with flaked tuna and diced tomato.

And oh, for lemon trees. Our climate can't handle 'em. Finding untreated lemons can be tricky here, as the organic ones - those are usually untreated - can be expensive. When I see some going cheap, I haul out the coarse salt and lay in stocks (and they were going cheap in France this weekend).

Will await news in a few months once yours are ready :)

[estoile]

Lemon trees! Yes, that's one exceptionally nice thing about living here ... The climate is mild enough that practically everyone has a Meyer lemon tree. They're lovely, prolific trees, and they can cope with temperatures down to about -12C, which is about as cold as it gets here, even when it snows. I suspect they're a bit mild for the purpose -- they're quite a low-acid variety -- so I'll probably add a bit of citric acid for both flavour and safety.

I'm glad you managed to get a stock of good 'uns on your travels. It's nice to think of you being well-stocked with yummy things!

Can't wait to try this!

[estoile]

Meant to say: practically everyone has a lemon tree except me! My current baby tree has been in two locations in this garden & hasn't liked either of them. I'm still trying to figure out a permanent home for it, and meanwhile it's languishing, yellow-leaved and sad, while I try to find someplace that's sunny and sheltered ... and not near any concrete.

The yellow-leaved-and-drooping bit is apparently is due to excessive calcium, which is due to being planted too near the concrete driveway, which leaches into the surrounding soil. Adding Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) is the traditional remedy for yellow leaves -- but that makes the soil more acidic, which leaches more calcium, which ... leads to a very unhappy wee tree.

Of course, I didn't know any of this when I planted it there!

Oh well, I'm sure I'll find a place for it soon ...

High BP, anyone??

[daphnis]

Being made aware of SALT in foods has cost me my delight in sauerkraut, pickles, corned beef, ham and the like, damn it! Now I shall have to NOT make the lemons, as well, though they sound super for zesting up bland dishes.

Oh well, never mind! I'll use cinnamon, clove, honey and a bit lemon juice instead, on foods I am allowed to indulge myself with. (Great on low-fat vanilla ice cream, for instance..... the siren song of the freezer sounds in my ears: "You are hungry, you are totally peckish, you MUST have ice cream NOW!")

Re: High BP, anyone??

[brenk]

Mmmm yes - low-fat vanilla ice cream is a Very Good Thing.

I'm fairly good at keeping salt intake low(ish), but a teensy bit of the famous lemons I can't resist (yet - maybe that day will come).

Re: High BP, anyone??

[daphnis]

Well, m'dear, you are so disciplined about everything else in your life, one must allow a few minor indulgences! The fact that your weight has dropped must be good for BPm as well. Wish I could join you.....

[alexpgp]

How important is it to leave the skins on?

I ask because I had about a dozen skinless lemons ready with noplace to go (except into lemonade) a couple of weeks ago when I started another batch of limoncello.

Cheers...

[brenk]

You can't preserve lemons without skins, Alex, because it's only the skins you use once they're ready: you scoop out the pulp. Maybe you could squeeze a few and add the juice to the jars to help fill them, but otherwise, nope.

Keep thinking I'll try to make my own Limoncello, but as it's pretty cheap to buy and I only have a tiny glassful now and then... not sure.

Maybe you could use those lemons to make lemon curd? Not sure of the recipe offhand, but I think you use only the flesh/juice rather than the skins.

[alexpgp]

I really gotta learn to read! :^)

Apparently, my mind jumped ahead of your instructions, which sound simply yummy.

Cheers...