Preserved Meyer Lemon Question
 

HI,

I'm using a preserved meyer lemon recipe which constitutes blanching and
slicing the lemons. mixing with coarse salt, and jarring covered in lemon
juice.
The lemons are apparently used in Moroccan cooking - I just didn't want mine
to go to waste.

I have 2 questions.

1. The recipe I'm using from epicurious just uses lemons, salt, and lemon
juice. I saw another recipe which includes a few cinnamon sticks, allspice
berries, and peppercorns. Are these essential? I have them all. Do they
compromise the "meyer perfume?"

2. Has anyone used these for things besides Moroccan dishes (which I'm sure
I'll try). If so what did you do? Did you also use the pulp? Thanks

Rox

"rmg" > wrote in message
m...
>
> HI,
>
> I'm using a preserved meyer lemon recipe which constitutes blanching and
> slicing the lemons. mixing with coarse salt, and jarring covered in lemon
> juice.
> The lemons are apparently used in Moroccan cooking - I just didn't want
mine
> to go to waste.
>
> I have 2 questions.
>
> 1. The recipe I'm using from epicurious just uses lemons, salt, and lemon
> juice. I saw another recipe which includes a few cinnamon sticks, allspice
> berries, and peppercorns. Are these essential? I have them all. Do they
> compromise the "meyer perfume?"
>

Not essesntial by any means, I would leave them out - but I like the intense
lemon fragrance that develops on its own,

> 2. Has anyone used these for things besides Moroccan dishes (which I'm
sure
> I'll try). If so what did you do? Did you also use the pulp? Thanks
>

The peel is useful any time you want to add lemon flavour and/or garnish to
a dish and can deal with the slight saltiness that comes with it. So
garnish for lemon chicken or margaritas is good. I have found no use for
the pulp.

David

"David Hare-Scott" > wrote in message
...
>
> "rmg" > wrote in message
> m...
> >
> > HI,
> >
> > I'm using a preserved meyer lemon recipe <snip>
> > 2. Has anyone used these for things besides Moroccan dishes (which I'm
> sure
> > I'll try). If so what did you do? Did you also use the pulp? Thanks
> >
>
> The peel is useful any time you want to add lemon flavour and/or garnish
to
> a dish and can deal with the slight saltiness that comes with it. So
> garnish for lemon chicken or margaritas is good. I have found no use for
> the pulp.
>
> David

Thanks for your response. I did read that some moroccan dishes use the pulp,
ground up, in the sauce. Perhaps I will try incorporating the pulp in to
stews or sauces with discretion. I know there's a good hors d'ouvre for
lemon lovers waiting to be invented or re-invented.

cheers,

Rox

"rmg" > wrote in message
m...
:
: HI,
:
: I'm using a preserved meyer lemon recipe which constitutes blanching and
: slicing the lemons. mixing with coarse salt, and jarring covered in lemon
: juice.
: The lemons are apparently used in Moroccan cooking - I just didn't want mine
: to go to waste.
:
: I have 2 questions.
:
: 1. The recipe I'm using from epicurious just uses lemons, salt, and lemon
: juice. I saw another recipe which includes a few cinnamon sticks, allspice
: berries, and peppercorns. Are these essential? I have them all. Do they
: compromise the "meyer perfume?"
:
: 2. Has anyone used these for things besides Moroccan dishes (which I'm sure
: I'll try). If so what did you do? Did you also use the pulp? Thanks
:
The original recipe (?) did not use the spices, and some purist would not add
spices.
My feeling is you can always add the flavour later, it does nothing more for the
preservation (than salt/citric acid would do).
As you may have found, the flavour changes over time, but jars can last a long
time (and do in my kitchen because I start a jar whenever I can get cheap
lemons/limes). Opinions differ as to whether to use the pulp or not, again
purists would not, but I can't waste that lovely flavour.
Uses, obviously in certain (not all) tagines especially if the lamb is a bit
fatty. With fish and shellfish, just a tiny amount en papillote. Added to
mayonnaise and as a base for Indian pickles (in oil). But be careful of fusion
type dishes, they can turn into 'confusion' dishes ;?)
HTH
cheers
Wazza

:
:

Wazza wrote:

> "rmg" > wrote in message
> m...
> :
> : HI,
> :
> : I'm using a preserved meyer lemon recipe which constitutes blanching and
> : slicing the lemons. mixing with coarse salt, and jarring covered in lemon
> : juice.
> : The lemons are apparently used in Moroccan cooking - I just didn't want mine
> : to go to waste.
> :
> : I have 2 questions.
> :
> : 1. The recipe I'm using from epicurious just uses lemons, salt, and lemon
> : juice. I saw another recipe which includes a few cinnamon sticks, allspice
> : berries, and peppercorns. Are these essential? I have them all. Do they
> : compromise the "meyer perfume?"
> :
> : 2. Has anyone used these for things besides Moroccan dishes (which I'm sure
> : I'll try). If so what did you do? Did you also use the pulp? Thanks
> :
> The original recipe (?) did not use the spices, and some purist would not add
> spices.
> My feeling is you can always add the flavour later, it does nothing more for the
> preservation (than salt/citric acid would do).
> As you may have found, the flavour changes over time, but jars can last a long
> time (and do in my kitchen because I start a jar whenever I can get cheap
> lemons/limes). Opinions differ as to whether to use the pulp or not, again
> purists would not, but I can't waste that lovely flavour.
> Uses, obviously in certain (not all) tagines especially if the lamb is a bit
> fatty. With fish and shellfish, just a tiny amount en papillote. Added to
> mayonnaise and as a base for Indian pickles (in oil). But be careful of fusion
> type dishes, they can turn into 'confusion' dishes ;?)
> HTH cheers Wazza

I did both - wedges of fruits jammed into a pint Mason jar, covered with the juice
of one fruit and all the salt it would hold. The lemons were beautiful enuf for
decoration, but the limes got faded & not-so-appealing color. But the flavor, oh my!

Edrena

A Moroccan friend of a friend harvested the Meyers early, while they
were green, saying that when they're ripe they're too sweet for
preserving. I've wondered about this myself - would there be enough
lemon to keep the bad germs down. I think it's supposed to be a
question of flavor as well...Meyer lemons are local to the San
francisco Bay area, are quite sweet, and I'm a little concerned about
trying to preserve them in brine because they're so different from
Moroccan lemons.

Leila

Leila wrote:

> A Moroccan friend of a friend harvested the Meyers early, while they
> were green, saying that when they're ripe they're too sweet for
> preserving. I've wondered about this myself - would there be enough
> lemon to keep the bad germs down. I think it's supposed to be a
> question of flavor as well...Meyer lemons are local to the San
> francisco Bay area, are quite sweet, and I'm a little concerned about
> trying to preserve them in brine because they're so different from
> Moroccan lemons.
> Leila

Mine lasted nearly a year before I used them up. Between the acid and the
salt, I don't think you'll have a problem.
Edrena

"Wazza" > wrote in message
...
>
> "rmg" > wrote in message
> m...
> :
> : HI,
> :
> : I'm using a preserved meyer lemon recipe which constitutes blanching and
> : slicing the lemons. mixing with coarse salt, and jarring covered in
lemon
> : juice.

<snip>

> My feeling is you can always add the flavour later, it does nothing more
for the
> preservation (than salt/citric acid would do).
> As you may have found, the flavour changes over time, but jars can last a
long
> time (and do in my kitchen because I start a jar whenever I can get cheap
> lemons/limes). Opinions differ as to whether to use the pulp or not, again
> purists would not, but I can't waste that lovely flavour.
> Uses, obviously in certain (not all) tagines especially if the lamb is a
bit
> fatty. With fish and shellfish, just a tiny amount en papillote. Added to
> mayonnaise and as a base for Indian pickles (in oil). But be careful of
fusion
> type dishes, they can turn into 'confusion' dishes ;?)
> HTH
> cheers
> Wazza

Yes, I was thinking last night I could just separate some out and add the
cinnamon and allspice for just that amount, a few days in advance perhaps.

Regarding the pulp, I don't really understand why it's even included if the
juice could be extracted and used to cover the skins for preserving. Skins
only. Follow my drift?

cheers

On 29 Apr 2005 12:34:30 -0700, "Leila" >
wrote:

>A Moroccan friend of a friend harvested the Meyers early, while they
>were green, saying that when they're ripe they're too sweet for
>preserving. I've wondered about this myself - would there be enough
>lemon to keep the bad germs down. I think it's supposed to be a
>question of flavor as well...Meyer lemons are local to the San
>francisco Bay area, are quite sweet, and I'm a little concerned about
>trying to preserve them in brine because they're so different from
>Moroccan lemons.
>
>Leila


Hmm..you know you might want to ask this on eGullet. None other than
Paula Wolfert is a frequent poster there, and she might be tempted to
chime in on this...

Christine

"rmg" > wrote in message news:Zsnce.2620>
> Thanks for your response. I did read that some moroccan dishes use the
pulp,
> ground up, in the sauce.


Take care it may be very, very salty.

David

"rmg" > wrote in message
...
> Regarding the pulp, I don't really understand why it's even included if
the
> juice could be extracted and used to cover the skins for preserving. Skins
> only. Follow my drift?
>
> cheers
>

Well the pulp only separates easily from the skins after some weeks of
pickling. Sorting out the skin from the pulp from the juice beforehand is
just too fiddly and fussy.

David

IME, the joy of Meyers is their subtle perfume, etc. Freeze them or
freeze the juice. Make lemonade concentrate and freeze that. Have a
lemon souffle (recipe in JOC is good). Use the Meyers juice for vinegar
in salad dressing. Have tea.
blacksalt
green with envy

rmg > wrote:

> Regarding the pulp, I don't really understand why it's even
> included if the juice could be extracted and used to cover
> the skins for preserving. Skins only. Follow my drift?

I personally don't mind, in fact slightly prefer, preserved
lemon that consists of slices of skin with a little bit
of pulp attached.

My two main uses of preserved lemon are lemon pasta, and foul.

Steve

"rmg" > wrote in message
m...
>
> HI,
>
> I'm using a preserved meyer lemon recipe which constitutes blanching and
> slicing the lemons. mixing with coarse salt, and jarring covered in lemon
> juice.
> The lemons are apparently used in Moroccan cooking - I just didn't want
mine
> to go to waste.

The recipe I used to make these lemons claimed you could use them after 5
days. This is different from other recipes which say to let them sit 6
weeks. The shorter duration was partly due to a VERY light blanching done to
soften the lemons when they are whole.

Tonight, exactly 5 days after putting up the lemons, I decided to make a
hummus / yogurt / curry dip. I realized I didn't have any fresh lemon juice
when slooooowly I turned to the jar of in-the-process-of-preserving meyer
lemons. I was reticent to mess with them but temptation got the better of
me.

I took two slivers out and minced them finely, including the pulp, and put
them into about 2 1/2 cups of hummus/yogurt dip with just a little curry
powder.

It's incredible. The perfume of the meyers truly is amazingly strong and
wonderful this way.

Here's the recipe for the lemons:

PRESERVED MEYER LEMONS
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/re.../views/102747/
Preserving a Meyer lemon captures its glorious perfume. We've adapted
cookbook author Paula Wolfert's quick method, our favorite, and made it even
faster by blanching the lemons first. The rind of a preserved lemon is a
common ingredient in Moroccan dishes; we also love it in all kinds of soups,
stews, and salads and as a low-fat alternative to olives. Save the pulp for
Bloody Marys or anything else enlivened by a little lemon juice and salt.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 5 days

click photo to enlarge

2 1/2 to 3 lb Meyer lemons
(10 to 12)
2/3 cup coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Special equipment: 6-cup jar with tight-fitting lid
Blanch 6 lemons in boiling water 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut
lemons into 8 wedges each and discard seeds. Toss with salt in a bowl and
pack into jar.

Squeeze enough juice from remaining lemons to measure 1 cup. Add enough
juice to cover lemons and cover jar with lid. Let stand at room temperature,
shaking gently once a day, 5 days. Add oil and chill.

Cooks' note:
.. Preserved lemons keep, chilled, up to 1 year.


HUMMUS / YOGURT / CURRY DIP RECIPE:

2 cups hummus
1 cup plain yogurt
2 pieces preserved meyer lemon, pulp and all (each piece is 1/8 of a lemon)
minced

Mix all. Let sit for 1/2 hour. Enjoy with pita, wheat crackers, veggies,
what you will.


enjoy, rox