Preserving the daunting aroma of Meyer lemon

The Meyer lemon is famous for its juicy, lovely sweet orange-lemon flavourful pulp and incomparable perfume. Rounder than conventional lemon, it has a smooth, thin yellow rind that deepens to orange-yellow as it ripens and it is almost seedless.


                                     Preserving Meyer Lemons in Salt

Ingredients:

• 6-8 Meyer lemons, washed and dried
• 1 cup coarse sea salt
• Sterilized glass jar with a tight-fitting lid

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Lemons: Start by washing and drying the Meyer lemons thoroughly. Cut off the stem end of each lemon.
2. Quarter the Lemons: Cut each lemon into quarters, making sure not to cut all the way through so that the quarters remain attached at the base.
3. Pack the Lemons: Take a sterilized glass jar and add a layer of coarse sea salt at the bottom. Place a lemon in the jar, open side down, and sprinkle salt between the quarters. Press down gently to release some juice. Repeat the process with the remaining lemons, adding salt between layers.
4. Top with Salt: Ensure that the lemons are completely covered with salt. Leave some space at the top of the jar to allow for expansion. If needed, add more salt to cover the lemons.
5. Seal the Jar: Seal the jar tightly with the lid. Make sure it is airtight to prevent spoilage.
6. Store in a Cool Place: Place the jar in a cool, dark place for at least 4-6 weeks to allow the lemons to ferment and the flavors to develop. Shake the jar gently every few days to redistribute the salt and juices.
7. Check and Adjust: After the initial fermentation period, check the lemons for desired flavor and texture. If you prefer a milder taste, you can rinse the preserved lemons under cold water to remove excess salt.
8. Use in Cooking: Preserved Meyer lemons add a unique and tangy flavor to various dishes. Rinse the desired amount under cold water, remove the seeds, and finely chop or slice the peel for use in salads, stews, tagines, or other recipes.

Note: Always use clean utensils when handling preserved lemons to avoid contamination. Properly stored, preserved Meyer lemons can last for several months.

Interesting facts about Meyer Lemon:
The fruits expert David Karp tells us that the Meyer lemon (C.x meyeri) was introduced to the United States by another plant explorer, Frank Meyer who discovered the tree growing in pots near Peking in 1908. At that time, lemons were indigenous to India and exotic and scarce in China.
Recently a researcher at the University of California at Riverside have determined that the Meyer lemon is a hybrid and that its female parent is almost certainly a sweet orange, and the male a lemon or citron.

Every part of the lemon can be use in cuisine. The fragrant skin contains valuable oils that add flavours to drinks, and every kind of dessert. A meyer lemon is different from a regular lemon.

If you are using a Meyer lemon you will use it first for it’s perfume, sweetness and subtlety of it. Yet, when you taste it, you may want to add a touch of regular lemon to give it a little more depth.
The Meyer lemon’s complex, almost floral flavour and aroma combine happily with grapefruit, honey, lemon, lime, orange, vanilla, thyme, bay leaf and mint.

Meyer lemons are usually grown in California but are becoming more widely available. They are perishable and are not in the market for long during the winter months. The beauty of preserving Meyer lemons is that it gives you a way to enjoy them year-round.

Preserved lemons are common in Moroccan dishes but their complex, bright flavour and aroma enliven all kinds of soups, stews, salads and drinks.