PRESERVED LEMONS
PRESERVED LEMONS
A couple weeks back I posted a photo of our lemon tree going berserk. It is the season for it here in #AUStrich land. Sound Money asked for any recipes that would help use any excess lemons so here we go.
For centuries food has been getting preserved (old school #hodl) and one of the most common ways to do it it to use salt, probably because once upon a time salt was a form of money.
Preserved lemons are really popular in Northern African (particularly Morocco), Persian and Indian cuisine, eventually finding their way into European food.
Since this is such a simple recipe, I like to really focus on the two key ingredients, lemons and salt. My lemons are home grown and I make sure the salt is quality.
I am lucky enough to live where there is a massive salt lake (Lake Deborah) in the middle of the dessert. #AUStriches if you can, search this out.
The salt, when ready after being baked by the sun, is literally scooped up and shipped to its processing plant, washed and then dried in the kiln. That is it. I know this to be true because I have been to the plant and verified it. It is as salty as salt gets and 100% natural. The same can’t be said for brands like Morton and Saxa, the cunts add fluoride and iodine!
You will need a good solid glass jar that can withstand heat and seals well. Moccona coffee jars are great as are mason jars. Ikea make a jar called the ‘korken’. To prep your jar you will want to sanitise it and the easiest way to do that is bang it in an oven preheated to 150C for about 10-15 mins.
Happy preserving and #enjoy!
#proofofwork: 45 minutes prep time and 30 days to cure the lemons.
Ingredients:
10 ea Lemons, washed and topped
1 cup Salt
2 ea Cinnamon sticks, toasted
6 ea Cloves, toasted
10 ea Coriander seeds, toasted
6 ea Black pepper corns, toasted
2 ea Bay leaves, fresh if possible
5 sprigs Thyme, fresh
Method:
-In a large pot, boil some water and blanch the lemons for 2-3 minutes and cool in an ice bath. This softens the skin slightly and opens it up to help the curing.
-Quarter the lemons from the top to within 3 cm of the bottom, sprinkle salt on the exposed flesh, then reshape the fruit. Place 1 tablespoon salt on the bottom of the sanitised mason jar.
-Layer in the lemons and push them down, adding salt and the spices between layers. Press the lemons down to release their juices and to make room for the remaining lemons. If the juice released from the squashed fruit does not cover them, add freshly squeezed lemon juice — not chemically produced lemon juice and not water. Leave some air space before sealing the jar.
-Let the lemons ripen in a warm place, shaking the jar each day to distribute the salt and juice. Let ripen for 30 days.
-To use, rinse the lemons, as needed, under running water, removing and discarding the pulp. There is no need to refrigerate after opening. Preserved lemons will keep up to a year, and the pickling juice can be used two or three times over the course of a year.
Chef tip: change up the spices and herbs to get a different flavour profile. Use hearty herbs or the stalks of soft herbs. Chillies are a great addition too!
#chefstr #foodstr #breadstr #yumstr #homemade #eatrealfood #noshtr
#nostr #grownostr
