Edible Christmas treats: Jess' easy preserved lemons

  • 28/11/2018

The best Christmas gifts are not always the shiniest or even the most expensive. Handmade gifts are often the most meaningful.

Jess Daniell from Jess' Underground Kitchen spoke to Duncan Garner about treats you can prepare today, to gift for Christmas.

Watch the video for the full interview. 

Edible Christmas treats: Jess' easy preserved lemons
Photo credit: Supplied

Jess' Easy Preserved Lemons

Preserved lemons add a wonderful boost of flavor to all kinds of dishes, especially Moroccan and Middle Eastern-inspired meals. It’s very simple to preserve your own lemons, especially if you have a glut of fruit from your own tree, but you will need to wait 3-4 weeks before you can use them in cooking. I like to add a selection of whole spices to my jar, because they look so pretty and add extra layers of flavour. You can play around with your own combinations; peppercorns, fennel seeds, chillies and whole cloves work well, too.

makes 1-2 jars | to prep 15 minutes

Ingredients:

- 8-10 clean lemons

- 500g rock salt or flaky sea salt

- 2 bay leaves

- 2 cinnamon quills

- 2 whole star anise

- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

Method:

1. Cut the lemons into almost-quarters, leaving them attached at the base. Push a generous amount of salt into the middle of each lemon. Pack the salted lemons tightly into a sterilised jar, squishing down slightly so the lemon juice is released.

2. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon quills, star anise, coriander seeds and another large handful of salt. If you need to, top up with a little water, ensuring there are no air bubbles in the jar.

3. Seal the jar and leave it to sit at room temperature for a couple of days, inverting it every now and then so that the spices can resettle. Then move it to the fridge and leave for at least 3 weeks until the rinds soften and lose their bitterness.

4. You can store the preserved lemons in your fridge for up to 6 months.

5. To use your lovely lemons, remove one from the jar and rinse thoroughly to remove the extra salt. Scrape away the flesh and pith and discard. Finely chop the preserved lemon rind and add to your favourite dish.