Preserved Lemons
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
When life gives you too many lemons, preserve them. These salty, citrusy preserved lemons add a burst of flavour to everything from salads and dressings to roasted vegetables and seafood.
Ingredients
-
8 large lemons
-
2 cups of lemon juice (about 6-8 lemons)
-
½ cup Mrs Rogers Fine Sea Salt
-
2–3 cups water (for brine)
-
1/8 cup sugar
-
4-5 Mrs Rogers Bay Leaves
-
2 tablespoons of Mrs Rogers Black Peppercorns
-
GoodLife Glass Jar
-
Optional: sliced peppers or onions for extra flavour
Directions
Make the brine by bringing the water to a boil and stirring in the salt until it dissolves. Set aside and let it cool completely.
Slice about ¼ inch off the top and bottom of each lemon. Cut a cross down each lemon, stopping about three-quarters of the way so the base stays intact.
Gently open the lemons and rub in about ¼ teaspoon of salt (per lemon) into the cuts. Toss the lemons in the sugar and salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight (up to 24 hours).
Pack the lemons tightly into a sterilised* glass jar so the ingredients reach the shoulder of the jar. Add the peppercorns and bay leaves. Tip: add sliced peppers or onions at this stage for extra flavour.
Pour the cooled brine over the lemons and other ingredients, ensuring the lemons are submerged by about 1 inch. If needed, add more brine and fresh lemon juice to cover.
Store in the refrigerator. Let the lemons cure for 3 weeks for the best flavour.
Recipe Note
*How to Sterilise Jars (Oven Method)
1. Heat oven to 120°C-140°C.
2. Wash jars in hot, soapy water and rinse well.
3. Place wet jars upright on a lined baking tray, ensuring they are not touching. Put in the oven to dry completely, this should take about 10-15 minutes until dry and hot.
4. Turn off the oven and leave the jars inside to keep them warm and sterile until you are ready to fill them. Use oven mitts, potholders or thick cloths to handle hot jars. Keep your fingers away from the rims once jars are sterilised.
5. Fill hot jars with hot preserves (jam, chutney) to prevent them from cracking. Crucially, allow them to cool to room temperature before filling with cold-filled preserves to prevent thermal shock. You want to fill them not quite to the top, leave about 1/2 cm gap at the top between the preserve and the lid.
6. While everything is still hot, cover the jars with their lid, these lids are fantastic for indicating that your jars are sealed as the button will suck in when sealed.