Moroccan Preserved Lemons

Lemons are cheap at the moment so we’re making this to put aside for winter. The sweet and heat of Moroccan tagines is perfect when it’s cold so this will stand us in good stead.

20 lemons, ideally small ones

10tbsp salt

2 sticks cinnamon

10 peppercorns

4 star anise

At the moment, 20 lemons will cost us only  £2 or £3. We’ll need some big jars but we’ve saved a couple of the big jars that Turkish pickles come in. The whole spices aren’t authentic, but they do add a subtle flavour and make the jars look prettier.

The boy likes the idea of provisioning for winter. Our kitchen is in a conservatory so he’s wearing shorts and a singlet. Not seen him in this combo before but it suits him.

Get him to wash all the lemons, giving them all a scrub to get any wax or chemicals off them. When he’s done, give him eight, which he will cut into quarters, almost down to the stem, but not right through. He ends up with lemons that are open but still joined at the bottom.

Add a tablespoon of salt to the centre of each lemon and then hold them closed so they sort of resemble whole lemons again. Do this over your jars so they gather any spilled juice or salt. Squash the lemons back in the jars – you should get 4 lemons in each, pushed in tight enough to keep together. If you can squash another one in, do so.

Divide the whole spices between each jar and push them well down.

You should have 12 remaining lemons – squeeze them for their juice. Hopefully you will have enough to cover the lemons in the jars. If not top up with boiling water – if I have to do this I usually add a little more salt.

Leave at least a month so it softens and mellows – remove the fruit flesh when you use it; all your after is the soft mellow skin that will give tagines a warm mellow lemon flavour. The boy is looking pretty happy with our pickle cupboard so far. I still have many plans to fill it further before the cold weather approaches.