Eating In

Pickled lemons are used in the Middle East and North Africa to add a salty tartness to stews and salads. The flavour is in the skin. The oil is useful for basting fish and in salad dressings.

First method:

Put 6 organic lemons in the freezer overnight. The next day, scrub them and when they have thawed out enough, slice them up. Sprinkle with salt and leave in a colander to drain and soften. This can take several hours. Arrange the slices in layers in a small kilner jar, sprinkling each layer with paprika. Cover completely with light olive oil. They are ready in about a month when they are a beautiful warm golden colour.

Second method:

Soak some small ripe organic lemons in plenty of cold water for three days, changing the water every day. Drain and using the point of a small sharp knife, cut four slits in each lemon. The lemons should still be held together at both ends. Insert ½ a teaspoon of coarse salt in each lemon and arrange them in kilner jars. Sprinkle the lemons in each jar with more coarse salt and pour in enough boiling water to cover. Leave for 3 weeks before using. To use, rinse well in cold water. It is the peel that is used. The pulp is often thrown away.