Lemons Preserved in Your Own Kitchen
Preserving Lemons
Lemons are at their peak in winter. It’s been a year since I preserved my first batch [Here] . . . and they just ran out. We used the last bit in some baked Salmon last week. These things are soooooo delicious. And it seems so cool to be able to keep them all year, without canning or freezing. I DO need extra room in the refrigerator, but I can always find it for something yummy.
I got my original start with citrus in the fermenting process from the book by Jennifer McGruther- the Nourished Kitchen.
This year, just as I was using the last jar, I realized it had been a whole year, which meant organic Arizona citrus would be available at our local Redmond Heritage Farm market. This is citrus season and I love the freshness. This time I doubled my batch so I can share with friends and family.
These lemons have just enough tartness to flavor fish. They are sweet enough to use in my tea. They will make a great salty-sour addition to sauces and gravies. I’m thinking my stir fries will be awesome with this flavor as well as vegetables like broccoli, asparagus and all the spring greens I’m dreaming of in this winter weather.
If the lemons have too much of a salty taste for a dish, just rinse them in a little cold water before using them. The peels are delicious too, and it only takes a sliver to make a cake or cookie recipe come alive.
I like to use a lemon in my water keefir- first ferment, and I think I’ll try one of these for an extra pinch of healthy probiotics. (Thinking it would be more like a club soda than lemonade.) I’ve also seen recipes for spicing up the lemons with peppercorns, bay leaves or cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. I’ll be trying more flavor combinations and baked dishes with my extra supply of lemons before the year is out and I’ll share them here.
Have you considered using winter fruit in season? How do you keep lemons or other citrus for the months ahead? What are your favorite dishes to use them in? Please share.
“If life gives you lemons” . . . by all means ferment them!
Thanks for reading,
julie