Learn: How to Preserve Lemons
Lemons are so versatile and can be used in almost all forms of cooking. My boss gifts me with Meyer lemons on the regular because she is lucky enough to have a tree in her backyard. Before the holidays, she gave me a huge bag and I knew I wouldn’t be able to use them all before I left for Colorado. So, I decided to preserve a bunch of them to use for future cooking adventures. It turns out to be super easy and the lemons become packed with flavor. Your next question might be, what does one do with a bunch of preserved lemons. Well, the answer is limitless - I’ve added the zest to salads, marinades, and even topped my porridge with it. You can get real fancy and use a slice for your next martini or cocktail. Freezing them and using the zest is also an option. I can’t wait to use it when I try out my new Chrissy Teigen tagine that was gifted to me by Lydia. Moroccan cuisine uses preserved lemons in a lot of their cooking, so it’s the perfect way to ease into some of those recipes.
Ingredients:
At least 6-7 Meyer lemons, 2 to 3 extra for the juice
Kosher salt
Black peppercorns
3-4 Bay leaves
Directions:
Scrub your lemons well with cold water since you’ll be eating the rinds later.
Cut the lemons in quarters, lengthwise but leave the base in tact. Salt each lemon thoroughly.
Add some salt to the bottom of whatever type of jar you are using.
Stick the lemons in one by one, gently pressing down so the juices are released. When you are about halfway through add in some peppercorns and 3-4 bay leafs.
When you get almost to the top, cut 1-2 more lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the jar so that everything is covered. Discard those lemons.
Every few days or so, give the jar a gentle shake so that things can get a little movement and everything is coated. You can even flip the jar on its head for a few days of the week.
Now, you just have to wait. I’d recommend waiting at least 2 weeks before you crack open the jar and start using your beautifully fermented lemons! Some people recommend 30 days or longer. It really depends on how fermented and deep of an umami flavor you’re trying to reach!
Cut and salt your lemons like so.
