Preserved Lemons

This recipe will make two x 1 Litre jars of lemons, but if you want to make more just double up. You will need Kilner jars with well fitted rubber bands or wax tops.

Ingredients:

8-10 large unwaxed thick skinned lemons (preferably organic)

500ml fresh lemon juice (approximately 6 lemons to make the juice

500g coarse sea salt

1 tablespoon pink peppercorns

2 large cinnamon sticks split

4 dried bay leaves

Olive oil to top

Sterilize the jars by washing them and heating them in a hot oven for 15 minutes. Leave to dry.

Wash and dry the lemons. Cut them from the top to the bottom stem into quarters without detaching completely at the stem end.

Put the salt into a large bowl and roll the lemons around in the salt. Press down on them to extract some of their juice. Press some of the sea salt into the centre of each lemon.

Put a layer of lemons into each jar. Sprinkle with a few peppercorns and add a bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Sprinkle on some of the remaining salt. Repeat this process until each jar is tightly packed. Top up each jar with the squeezed lemon juice until nearly full. Put a thin layer of olive oil over the top and put on the lid.

Keep in a cool dry place for at least a month. Every now and then give the jar a shake and tip it up to even out the flavours.

Once opened keep in the fridge. To serve, discard the flesh, pith and pips. Very finely dice or chop the peel to eat in salads, vegetable dishes and tagines.