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Pickled Lemons
A taste of the Middle East
Now that my short break is over and I go back to eating staff food my pickled lemons are now ready for using. I have been thinking about making a big tagine of lamb all for myself since I started the lemons about a month ago. Now I’ll have to wait a week.
The wait will be worth it, tagine is not tagine without the unique flavour the lemon imparts. I love the way the lemons change colour and texture and and how they readily absorb the extra spices I add. Much of the acidity of a fresh lemon is taken away by the salt, they need washing before using and should always be used in moderation.
Preserved lemon can be chopped or sliced and added to salad dressings, soups, vegetables, cous cous, fish, meat and poultry. Try them with some stewed chick peas or roasted with a chicken. The smell is intoxicating and the flavour addictive.
There are a number of ways to prepare the lemons; some slice the lemons completely, some use olive oil, others just salt. My favoured method is to take the top and bottom off the lemon and then cut them into quaters but stopping the knife a centimetre or so from the bottom. Sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of rock salt in the middle of each one and push them into a sterile jar. Leave them in a warm place for two or three days and upturn the jar each day.
Once the juices look to have all seeped out add a cinnamon stick snapped in half, a sprinkling of coriander seeds, a couple of bay leaves, a tsp of black peppercorns and a star anise if you fancy. You then need to cover the lot with enough freshly squeezed lemon juice (it must be fresh) Cover with a spoon of olive oil and leave in a cool place for three to four weeks.
Miles,
I’ll give it a go - always fancied this but so far the only bottle turning thing I’ve done is slow gin.
Last night I cooked your sticky toffee pudding recipe just for me (only one portion consumed mind!) and I have to announce what a simple method and how delicious. Instead of caramel sauce I made a white brandy sauce … my kitchen began to smell like Christmas!
Note to everyone out there who say they can’t cook … just follow that recipe and weigh everything, simply scrumptious.
Given the choice of a hot date with George Clooney or a hot date pudding, I know which one I’d go for… and that’s what’s so sad frankly
Cid
September 11, 2007 @ 9:26 am
Cid,
Glad you gave the puddings a go, good idea with the sauce-don’t forget the ice cream though!
A pudding rather than gorgeous George?! sounds like one for the tuesday morning circle to debate!
Miles
September 11, 2007 @ 1:36 pm
Miles,
I have seen jars of small pickled lemons in the supermarket, are these any good?
A recipe for your tagine would be wonderful!
Christine
September 11, 2007 @ 2:49 pm
Miles,
One must tread carefully when debating the delicate nature of my flirtation with George. Experience tells me that the Tuesday Psychotherapy Assembly is likely to cut to the quick and tell me the raw truth behind my nicely constructed obsessions… when what I really want to hear is a load of old flannel that when whisked up in a virtual bowl, can be easily inverted without spilling a drop
Back to the lemons, does it have to be rock salt?
Cid
September 11, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
Christine,
I know the ones that you mean, they are made by Belaruz. They’re ok but I much prefer the homemade ones, the texture and taste of the larger lemons is quite noticeable.
Miles
September 11, 2007 @ 5:56 pm
Cid,
Best keep quiet and hold on to your dreams! Any coarse salt would be fine, I wouldn’t use table salt. It’s harder to judge and less forgiving.
Miles
September 11, 2007 @ 5:58 pm
Miles,
Don’t worry I only use salt derived from the rain forest, harvested by local people
Here’s one for you Miles: take a decent size jar (like the one with the lemons in), put large quantity of flakey salt in, top up with a skin friendly oil such as almond and add a few drops of your favourite essential oil …. stir with rain forest wooden spoon*. Rub a small quantity of salt scrub all over the body to exfoliate and relax in the bath after a hard days work. My recipe is extra satisfying when you think of the price of the shop bought version.
Cid
*of course any spoon will do in a crisis
September 11, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
Cid,
The body scrub does appeal to my feminine side (which is very small but there nonetheless) I shall place a jar alonside my lemon verbena bath salts!
You are right about the price, I looked at some in a well known shop last week and asked if a Geisha girl was included to rub it on! The assistant gave me the kind of smile that says ‘wots a geisha?’
Miles
September 11, 2007 @ 11:29 pm
Miles,
Well I never! Doubtless all the girls will be impressed by your knowledge of salt scrubs … take a look online at the Elemis version, you’ll need your credit card. I bought a very small mustard jar sized Australian scrub and it was indeed a splendid thing, probably made from your preserved lemons! I should add that the type of salt has to be the more flakey sort, any coarse stuff will require a visit to A&E if the user is not careful! Next time I make a batch I’ll do you a trial size. I must remember to think ‘manly’ - we don’t want strong floral notes wafting into the workplace, or more importantly into your salubrious social haunts
Cid
p.s. Memoirs of a Geisha, fab book and film
September 12, 2007 @ 12:03 am
Cid,
Let’s keep the floral scrub to ourselves, don’t want to ruin my Gordon Ramsay image that I’ve worked so hard at.
Last time I was at A&E was to take a commis chef who had been hurt by a rocket propelled swede but that’s another story.
Miles
September 12, 2007 @ 8:28 am
Miles,
What a wonderful idea, I can smell it all in the oven now. I shall certainly have a Go.
Cid, thanks for the tip. There will be no end to the knowledge I am gaining.
September 14, 2007 @ 12:36 pm