Preserved Lemons

Vibrant preserved lemons: these delicious guys are a staple for quick cooking in my kitchen. they are good for marinating chicken, beef, pork and i use them blended in a small food processor, with garlic & parsley for steak marinade, with anchovies, garlic & rosemary for lamb. they last over a year in the fridge, but mine never do!

You might have noticed the meyer lemons in the market right now. There is an extraordinary crop & the price is great. They are my favorite: tart, sweet and fragrant. This is the way I am able to enjoy them in every season. This year I am following the same recipe with kumquats. I’ll let you know how they turn out.

10 - 12 well washed lemons

2/3 - 1 cup of beautiful sea salt ( i prefer gray salts for this recipe)

1/4 cup olive oil

you will need a jar or two with lids that fit well either one 20 oz or two quarts.

1: cut 6 of the lemons into 8 pieces and remove the seeds. Toss with the salt into a bowl.

2: pack them into the jar or jars. if there is more than an inch of room at the top, do step one again with one or two more lemons.

3: squeeze enough juice from the remaining lemons to fill the jars until the lemons are just covered with juice (i saved squeezed lemon skins for my broth making endeavors/frozen)

4: leave on the counter or in cupboard for 5 days shaking once a day

5: add the olive oil on day 5 or 6. Refrigerate... use a clean fork or spoon when getting them out of the jar. Use a clean fork or spoon when getting them out of the jar to use. If you want them to last, don’t double dip! Enjoy.