This is a ferment that will catch your eye – bright yellow lemons floating in their juices like a jar of sunshine. These lemons are preserved with salt and their own juices, slowly softening into a less tart, equally delicious delicacy to be eaten alone or to add flavor to grains, stews, soups, tagines, or often seen in the mix of spices for curing olives.
I first learned of this process when moving in awe through the packed and beautiful markets of Morocco where stalls upon stalls of delicious spices, foods, and more curved intricately through small isles. I remember coming upon a stall of preserves of all imaginable kinds in beautiful glass jars. And there they were, like a bottle of sunshine. After that I noticed them flavoring the cured olives and in many other dishes. Clearly, it was time to make some with lemons from the garden!
Simple to make and delicious – check out the recipe below:
Ingredients & Materials
- Sea salt
- 8-10 medium size Meyer (or other) lemons
- 1.5 Liter glass jar
Instructions
- 1 tbs salt in the bottom of the jar
- Cut the lemons in quarters but just to the end, leaving them still together (not cut all the way through)
- Rub 1-2 tbs. salt into the lemons, as packing into the jar
- Pack lemons into the jar, pressing down to pull out juices
- Fill the jar to the top – at this point the lemons should be in their own juices. If not, squeeze some extra juice and make sure all is under the juice
- Let sit 1 month with a lid, making sure all remains under the juice
- After 1 month (or longer) Enjoy!
