If you are stuck in a shelter for days it may be hard to find fresh sources of Vitamin C. This is when preserving fruit can come in handy.
The most traditional recipe for preserved lemons includes lemons, bay leaves, salt, coriander seeds, cloves and peppercorns. You will also need lemons. Purists will tell you that you should only use organic unwaxed lemons for Sicily. Although unwaxed lemons are better you can still use ordinary lemons. Just make sure that you scrub the wax off of them well before you start the pickling process.
Cut each lemon into eighths or even sixteenths if you can manage the. You then take a layer’s worth of lemons and squish them into your preserving jar. Sprinkle that first layer with two teaspoons of salt. Ad a bayleaf, a few coriander seeds, a couple of cloves and peppercorns. Keep repeating this process until the jar is full of layers of herbs and spices and lemons. Then fill the jar with lemon juice.
This is the type of pickling recipe where you simply need to store the completed work in a dark place. Sometimes the jars start to bubble. If you see this happen then you need to pop open the jar and vent the gas from the lemon preserves. If you don’t you could end up with an exploded jar. The pickled lemons are doing well if they look glossy, are soft and smell like lemons. If there is mold in the jar then be sure to discard it.
There are many uses for pickled lemons if you are stuck in a shelter. They can be used to flavor just about any type of fruit or vegetable. They can also be used to add flavor to meat. The lemons can also be deposited in the bottom of cup and water can be added to make lemonade. If you add hot water you have a hot lemon tea.
One common use of preserved lemons is to use them as a base for dressing or as an ingredient in salads. They can be especially good in a salad made with hardy winter greens such as kale or winter cabbage. The lemons have a way of softening the leaves and making it taste more like a ceasar.
You can also make an amazing pesto like sauce by grinding up preserved lemons and roasted garlic as a pesto. If you have parsley pepper and parmesan cheese you have a gourmet meal.
However the best way to enjoy one, and also get your daily dose of Vitamin A and vitamin C is to simply pull it out of the jar and pop it in your mouth. If the lemon flesh is too sharp just consider using the rind.