(Makes a 1 litre jar)

Make sure you lift lemons out of the jar with tongs. Use chopped preserved lemon rind as a flavour enhancer to salad, pasta or fish dishes. The lemons do need to be totally underneath the liquid. To use the lemons, remove from the brine and discard the pulp. Wash the peel and use. Some white crystals will form on the top of the lemons in the jar which is normal so do not discard the lemons. It is important that lemons are always submerged under the liquid. If you need to fast track the preserving of the lemons, rather than putting them into jars, place the ingredients into a plastic container with a lid, and place in freezer overnight and proceed to use the following day.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• Cut each lemon into quarters from the top to within 5mm of the bottom, leaving the four pieces joined at the stem end. Sprinkle the inside of the lemon with salt.
• Place 1 tbsp salt on the bottom of a preserving jar and pack the lemons into the jar, pushing them down and adding more salt as you go.
• Push the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves between the lemons.
• If the level of the lemon juice doesn't come to the top of the jar, add extra freshly squeezed juice to almost the top of the jar. Leave some airspace before closing the jar.
• Let the lemons sit for 1 month, turning the jar upside-down periodically to distribute the salt and juices. Once opened store in the fridge.