Our seasonal citrus gold

It’s lemon season in Phoenix. If you are extraordinarily lucky, you have a tree with a profuse number of lemons. Maybe you are fortunate to have a neighbor, friend or family member who has a tree, or you might be able to visit a local farmers market or stand where lemons are in abundance. If you’re like me, you’re scanning the streets for neglected lemon trees and knocking on doors for permission to pick (remember to demonstrate good neighborliness and clean up entirely under the tree, so you will be welcomed back next year).

Now, what to do with all these lemons? Preserve them, of course—a time-honored, low-tech Moroccan custom. With just salt and a few glass jars, you can enjoy the lemon largesse for the entire year.

Salt Preserved Lemons

Makes 1 quart

1½ pounds lemons, preferably fresh off a tree 

½ cup kosher salt

Additional lemon juice, as needed

1 wide-mouth glass canning jar with lid, washed and sterilized with boiling water

Optional special equipment:

Wooden sauerkraut pounder, pickle packer or even a wooden potato masher

Fermentation weight or, alternatively, a rounded river stone—approximately 2½ inches in diameter, washed and sterilized

Spicy variation—add all or your choice: 1 cinnamon stick, 3 allspice berries, 6 coriander seeds, 4 black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, 1 small hot chili pepper

Method

Wash lemons well. If purchased from grocery store, give them a good scrub. Place 1 tablespoon of salt into jar.

Trim both ends from each lemon. Then cut almost into quarters, leaving them connected at one end by ½ inch. Pour about 1 tablespoon of salt into the opening and stuff lemon into jar. Repeat with remaining lemons, using all the salt. Pack tightly. Secure lid and allow lemons to rest overnight at room temperature.

The next day, the lemons will have released juice. Open jar and pack even tighter so juice fully covers the fruit. Add additional juice if needed. Insert weight or river stone to keep lemons under juice. Replace lid.

Place jar in a cool spot away from direct sunlight. Check daily to ensure fruit is completely submerged. Shake daily for a couple of days, then refrigerate. Allow 2–3 weeks for a full cure, until lemon rinds have softened. Stored in refrigerator, they will keep for a year.

Use these lemons to make everything lemony—just remember to rinse them well first. For easiest use, blend into paste, adding flavor and zing to anything that needs a little lift or acid. Alternatively, finely chop and toss into soups, salads or pasta. In a quick internet search, I found hundreds of recipes and uses in salads (egg, chicken, tuna, tomato, even quinoa); for marinades on chicken, beef or pork; for dips and dressings; Mediterranean sautés; tossed with potatoes or meats before roasting; added to simmering stews and to sparkling water with sugar for a sweet, salty lemonade—even in cakes and cookies!

Note: If your lemons develop mold, white mold is safe but any other color is not. Discard and start over.

This recipe for Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette was a real revelation. It’s creamy and thick without cream or thickeners. It’s a mesmerizing taste-bud blast of sweet, salty, sour and bitter—with a bit of umami from the olive oil. Outstanding!

Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette

Makes about 1½ cups

1 whole preserved lemon, rinsed well

1 large clove garlic

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon black pepper 

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients except oil in blender and process until smooth. With motor running, add olive oil in slow stream. Blend until very smooth, thick and creamy. Taste and add more honey if desired. Refrigerate. The dressing will thicken more as it cools. Keeps well.