Easy Preserved Lemons

Preserved lemons are like lemons with superpowers! Their flavour transforms into something sweet, tangy, savoury and wonderfully intense, adding incredible depth to everything from tagines, roasted vegetables and salad dressings to cakes, desserts and marinades.

With lemons in abundance at this time of year, now is the perfect opportunity to preserve some and enjoy their unique flavour all year round.

Once preserved, they'll keep almost indefinitely, provided they're stored in sterilised jars, kept well sealed, and the lemons remain completely submerged in their brine. This recipe makes one jar, but it's easy to multiply if you have a bumper crop of lemons to use up.

Easy Preserved Lemons

Sterilise a medium jar that will fit a couple of lemons, also sterilise the lid

You'll need two good sized lemons and another two for juicing

Sea Salt - 2 teaspoons per lemon

Fresh red chilli deseeded and sliced - optional

Method

Slice 2 lemons into 1/8- 1/4 inch slices (you’ll use 2 more for juicing).

Sprinkle salt on the bottom of the jar, then layer your lemon slices (and sliced chilli if using). Salt each slice as you go and press down as you add more slices/chilli until you reach the top leaving a gap of 1cm at the top of the jar.

Once the jar is filled, press the slices down even more and squeeze over more lemon juice so the slices are completely covered. Weight the lemons down under the brine with a heavy stone or water filled plastic bag. Cover.

Pop them in a cool cupboard for at least a week (the longer the better the flavour - three weeks is as long as I can wait).

You can tell when the lemons are preserved as the skin starts to go translucent and the tangy salty brine will go syrupy.

Store for as long as you like in a cool dark place and once opened keep them in the fridge.

When you finish your jar or jars you can reuse the brine by popping some fresh lemon slices (not wedges) in while in the fridge, they won't be quite as good but will still be yummy. You can also add the brine to soups and stews.