The days are getting longer and the snow is melting. Spring and Summer are coming, I can feel it!
WHAT YOU DO
Nothing says warm, balmy weather like the bright yellow of a preserved lemons. They are sunshine food and you just try cooking with yellow ingredients and not let them make you happy. Yellow food makes you happy- FACT!
This is a very gentle introduction to food preservation, nothing technical just a little slicing and juicing. A little work now and by summer you will have delicious treats to liven up your summer salads:
PRESERVED FENNEL & GINGER LEMONS
WHAT YOU NEED
- 10 un-waxed lemon
- 250g sea salt
- 2 tsp whole fennel seeds
- Large piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
- Large sterilised jar (To sterilise either run it in a hot dishwasher or rinse in hot, soapy water and bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes)
WHAT YOU DO
- Juice 5 of the lemons.
- Cut a deep cross into each of the 5 remaining lemons.
- Push the ginger, fennel seeds and salt into the cross cut of each lemon.
- Squash the lemons into a sterilised jar, layering each one with ginger, fennel seeds and salt till everything is in the jar.
- Pour in the lemon juice and top with water to just cover lemons. Seal and store in a dark, cool place for at least a month before using.
- Scoop out the pulp and rinse before use.
These flavour bombs will keep for about six months. Add them to salads, stews and they are truly fabulous in cous cous and grain salads.
