We planted a second lemon tree about 18 months ago and it's starting to produce its first lemons. I love have having too many lemons, I always feel rich when I'm surrounded by them. As well as using them in cooking and baking, I juice about a hundred a year and keep the pure juice in the freezer to make cordial when the lemons on the tree stop growing.
Recently, I decided to try to make a preserve that would give us lemon slices for our tea and as a drink garnish. Here is that recipe:
Sweet preserved lemons
- 4 lemons
- enough medium sugar syrup to fill a jar full of lemons
- sterilised preserving jar and lid
- Slice the lemons and include half slices and quarters. Don't waste any. Pack the sliced lemons into the jar and when it starts getting full, push the lemons down into the jar with your clean fingers. I got four whole lemons into that small jar.
- Make up a medium strength sugar syrup using 1 cup water and ½ cup white sugar. Bring to the boil, make sure the sugar is completely dissolved and turn off the heat.
- When all the sliced lemons are in the jar, and while the syrup is still hot, pour the sugar syrup carefully over them to almost the top of the jar. Put the lid on and when they're cool, store them in the fridge. The heat from the syrup will create a vacuum.
These slices and pieces of lemon can be stored for many weeks in the fridge. Use them in your tea or cold drinks. When all the lemons are gone, use the lemon syrup with sparkling mineral water as a refreshing drink.
I don't like salted preserved lemons so this is a way to keep some of the crop for later in the year. What do you do with your lemons?
