I swear I'm not trying to be cheeky here, but I couldn't resist.
@morning glory asked about using preserved lemons in the latest cooking challenge, and was told that they weren't allowed. But, here, my ingredient is fresh lemons...to make preserved lemons.
I started these a few weeks ago, and they've matured beautifully. I've started putting them in almost everything, and they always work. They strike a surprisingly delightful balance of tangy and salty, with a bit of sweetness to mellow it out. I put some in a breakfast sandwich this morning with egg whites, pickled asparagus, and kimchi, and it was otherworldly.
I suppose one could integrate the preserving of the lemon into a recipe, but it's not really practical for reasons you'll see below. In brief, the assembly of the jar is simple, but the actual pickling takes...a very long time. Not sure how practical a recipe that starts in May and ends in June would be. But, if you wanted to list the time elements, it would look something like this:
Prep Time: 672 hours
Cook Time: 0
Now, the recipe. I typically only post my own recipes, which I define as recipes sufficiently different from anything else that I claim them as my own. But, preserving lemons is simple...all you need are lemons and salt at the core. However, this recipe by Paula Wolfert caught my eye. I find that the bay leaves and peppercorns add something to the overall product. Her recipe called for organic lemons, but my non-organic lemons seemed to work perfectly well.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016212-preserved-lemons
Ingredients
- 9 lemons
- Kosher salt
- 1 heaping teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
Directions
- Scrub 3 to 5 lemons, enough to fit snugly in a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid (have 2 to 4 more ready on the side). Slice each lemon from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom, almost cutting them into quarters but leaving them attached at one end. Rub kosher salt over the cut surfaces, then reshape the fruit. Cover the bottom of the jar with more kosher salt. Fit all the cut lemons in, breaking them apart if necessary. Sprinkle salt on each layer.
- Press the lemons down to release their juices. Add to the jar the peppercorns and bay leaves, then squeeze the additional lemons into the jar until juice covers everything.
- Close the jar and let ripen at cool room temperature, shaking the jar every day for 3 to 4 weeks, or until the rinds are tender to the bite. Then store it in the refrigerator.
- To use, remove a piece of lemon and rinse it. (Add more fresh lemons to the brine as you use them up.) The minced rind is added at the very end of cooking or used raw; the pulp can be added to a simmering pot.
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