LEMON PRESERVE

LEMON PRESERVE
Moroccan and Middle Eastern recipes often call for preserved or pickled lemons, that have been pickled in salt and their own juices. Place 2 Tbsp of salt in the bottom of a sterilized jar. Wash and dry a couple of fresh lemons. Cut off any protruding stems from the lemons. Cut lemons into quarters.

Use your thumb so squeeze out the juice from each slice and keep the juice aside. Pack a layer of lemons in the jar followed by a spoon of salt. Continue layering until the jar is full. Pour lemon juice over. You may need to fill up the jar with more fresh lemon juice. Seal the jar and let sit at room temperature for a couple days. Turn the jar upside down ocassionally. Put in refrigerator and let sit, again turning upside down ocassionally, for at least 3 weeks, until lemon rinds soften. To use, remove a lemon from the jar and using a table knife, scrape away the pulp from the rind. Discard seeds and pulp before using. You can add optional spices to the lemons for preserving such as cloves, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks and / or bay leafs. Always remember that should a recipe calls for an ingredient that was prepared in a previous posted recipe, you are always welcome to email me for the recipe or request that I re-post the recipe and procedure again.