Pickled Baby Lemons
Hey friends!
As always, I really like to create flavors from scratch. Especially those that can fit many other Recipes. These Homemade Pickled lemons are essentially a building block or flavor base for another recipe. Here in Israel, Baby lemons grow in the winter. This is a great opportunity for me to preserve them by pickling these baby lemons only with salt. These pickled lemons will be good for many recipes like pickled lemons spread. It’s insanely delicious and great for sandwiches. I add them to stews like Moroccan Vegan “Fish” Patties and it takes this recipe to a whole other level.
What can you use Baby pickled lemons for?
You can chop them well and add them to different Vegan Salads. Since Pickled lemons are rich in acidity and salt, if you add them to the salad, You basically season it. Be mindful of adding more salt because the pickled lemons already add a lot of flavors. You can make sauces with them that require these flavors, such as adding them to Vegan Mayonnaise or Tahini. It’s a perfect addition to quick guacamole dip. If you have a ripe avocado and you don’t feel like chopping lots of vegetables just chop the pickled lemon add a little black pepper and olive oil and you have perfect quick guacamole. You can also make amazing lemony pasta and the options here are really versatile.
How to Pickle Baby Lemons
These pickled lemons, as always, are very simple to make. Initially, you only need salt and lemons. And a Jar or a Container to store the lemons. After cleaning them well with a cleaning pad, under running cold water, cut the lemon lengthwise but not all the way. Take the salt and put a little in the middle of the cut of each lemon. Place at the bottom of the jar. No need to overdo it with salt. And no need to add more salt into the dish over the lemons. Then close the jar hermetically and place it on the counter at room temperature. Every few days it is advisable to take a Wooden Spoon and gently push the lemons down a bit.
In many recipes, water or lemon juice is added to speed up the process. I am not against it but see no reason for it. The salt inside the lemon brings out the juice of the lemon itself and so the lemons are slowly marinated in their own juice along with the salt. Every day you will see the liquid level rise slightly. After 10 days or two weeks, all the lemons are supposed to be covered in the juice. When this happens, pour oil over. I prefer olive oil. It also prolongs the shelf life of these pickled lemons and also adds good flavor.
Other basic recipes
Pickled Baby Lemons
Equipment
- Pickling jar with a sealed lid
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 Pack Baby lemons I did about 500 grams
- 1 Cup Salt
- ¼ Cup Olive oil
Instructions
- First, clean the lemons. Rub them with a dish sponge that's only used for cleaning vegetables under running water. Then dry with a towel.
- Cut each lemon in half but not to the end. Like Pacman.
- Take each lemon and fill with salt in the cut area, close back and place in a pickling jar next to each other and fill all the way to the end.
- Close the jar and leave it outside for about 10 days until the lemons have drained liquids that have reached the top of the jar and covered all the lemons. Every few days gently squeeze the lemons down.
- When the lemon juice has reached the top and covers all the lemons, add olive oil, cover with a lid, and put in the fridge.
- If after 10 days the liquids drained from the lemon did not come up and covered the lemons you can add a little water and then cover the surface with oil.
