Preserved Lemon

Needed to tape the lid down

The first time I made this I made heaps and ended up throwing the jars away. The lesson I learnt was that if you don’t use something very often then don’t make much of it. This time a Moccona jar full will be more than enough for us – and it is small enough to store in the fridge.

Ingredients

  • Limes or lemons to fit tightly into the selected jar (I think lemons are better because it is mainly the pith and skin that is used and the flesh is discarded, our limes have very little pith and are so good in other things that I prefer to use the lemons.)
  • Non-iodised or sea salt (about 1/4 cup) ground with 3 cloves, 4 pepper corns, 6 coriander seeds, 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, 1 bay leaf

Method

  1. Cut the fruit into quarters from top to bottom without cutting all of the way through.
  2. Fill the separated quarters with a generous amount of the seasoned salt and  squash each one back together around the salt. Do this over a bowl keeping any escaped juice.
  3. Stuff the closed fruit into the sterilised jar with the tops facing upwards.
  4. Pour any extra juice into the jar to ensure lemons/limes are covered and seal and label.
  5. Leave to cure for a few days then invert.

Do this occasionally. The fruit will be cured in one month and should last for 2 years.