Preserved Lemons
Preserved lemons are easy to make. They are used a lot in Middle Eastern and North African cooking to add a citrusy boost to dishes.
Ingredients
4-6 lemons, washed per jar
1 tablespoon salt per lemon
1-2 bay leaves per jar
Method
Sterilise a couple of jars (whatever size you have).
Cut the lemons lengthways into quarters keeping the stalk end on.
Mix them with 1 tablespoon salt per lemon and stuff them into the jars as tightly as you can, add 1-2 bay leaves per jar. Gradually over the course of a few days, liquid will be released from the lemons. The liquid should cover the lemons completely.
At the end of that time they should be refrigerated. The lemons will last for a year if you make sure you use a clean spoon whenever you remove any from the jar. To use, discard the flesh of the lemons and use the rind.
Sauerkraut
It's easier than you think to make your own sauerkraut. Have your own supply right through the cold months.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1,2 kg finely shredded white cabbage
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
5 teaspoons fine salt
Method
Place the finely shredded cabbage in a large bowl together with the caraway and salt. Using your hands, knead and squeeze the cabbage for about 10 minutes until the appearance and texture change and water begins seeping from the cabbage.
Place in a jar or container, weight it down and cover with a muslin cloth. Allow to ferment for at least 5 days. This will be a very young sauerkraut. Ferment up to 2 weeks until you have reached your desired strength of flavour.
Place into sterilised jars, cover with a lid and keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.
Click on the link below to see how to mix the cabbage:
Preserved Spicy Lemons
This is a recipe we've adapted slightly from the beautiful cookbook Honey & Co. by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich.
Ingredients
5 small lemons, unwaxed
3 Tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon smoked chilli flakes
olive oil to cover
Method
Slice the lemons as thinly as you can, removing any pips. Place the lemon slices in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt and smoked chilli flakes. Allow to sit for about 30 minutes and room temperature.
Push the lemon slices into a sterilised jar so that they re tightly packed with all the liquid that has formed in the bowl. Add enough olive oil so that they are covered and seal the jar. They can be used the next day, but improve over time. Once the jar has been opened, store in the fridge and use within a month.
When you use them for cooking, take as much as you need out of the jar. Chop and use the entire lemon slice - you don't need to discard the flesh. They can be used as a relish with fish or chicken , chopped through a flavoured butter or try mixing through some mayonnaise to serve with our Roast duck salad.
We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours