I have yet to have a Meyer lemon abundance since my pitiful little tree seems to be nothing more than an appetizer for slugs. Luckily, I have a friend whose tree is overloaded with Meyer lemons. She was kind and gave me a bucket of lemons when I told her my sad, lemonless, slug filled tale.
Preserved Meyer lemons are one of those ingredients that can make you seem like a master chef. Season some chicken thighs with cinnamon, cumin, and salt, then stick it all in a cast iron pot (or a tagine if you are lucky enough to own one) with dried fruit, olive oil, and preserved lemon rind. 25 minutes later, dinner's done!
Making the preserved lemons is easy. I start off by scrubbing the lemons, cutting off the stem end, and then quartering the lemons lengthwise. When you quarter the lemons, don't cut them all the way down. Leave about a 1/2 inch at the bottom so the lemons stay partially intact. Sprinkle a bit of salt into the cut lemons, then layer them in a clean jar with a cinnamon stick and a couple tablespoons of salt.
Once the jar is full, close the lid and let it sit for a few hours and liquid will start to fill the jar. I top off the jar with lemon juice and more salt before sticking the jar into the refrigerator.
In about a week, you'll have a secret weapon you can add to stews, soups, paellas, and risottos.
There is something about bowl full of lemons. I took a seed out of my lemon a few years ago, dried it and then planted it. It actually grew! And now I have a lemon tree that barely makes it through the winter (in my living room). It's about 3 feet tall now and as soon as it's warm, it goes back out into the garden. I wonder if I'll ever see lemons. Probably not.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool idea to preserve them.
Maybe you'll see some lemons! I have hope. Do you know what kind of lemon tree you planted?
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