Lemon Confit

Lemon confit/preserved lemons are a pantry item I recently started making and instantly loved. Or rather, after a few weeks of soaking lemons in brine, I loved it.

There’s a little bit of a waiting period before the lemons are fully preserved and have absorbed all the flavors of the brine. But the wait is worth it, te lo juro. I’m a big advocate of a well stocked pantry, because when I don’t have all day to prep meals and have limited options to begin with, ingredients like this lemon confit add a ton of flavor without much work.

In case you’re wondering, lemon confit is not a traditional Latin American ingredient. It’s most commonly used in middle eastern and north African cooking, but you can infuse any flavoring you want into them. I use coriander and star anise, but you could just as easily use bay leaf, peppercorns, clove, and cinnamon—or just salt and sugar so it’s more adaptable to any cuisine.

I like to dice the cured peel and add to salads or potatoes, or garnish fish. The bright, salty brine also mixes well into a bloody mary or can be used to poach vegetables!

Ingredients

• 5 lemons, washed and quartered

• 1 star anise pod

• 2 tsp coriander seed

• 1/2 cup salt

• 1/4 cup sugar

Method

• Put lemons in one or two sterilized glass jars until they fit snug.

• Add remaining ingredients to jars.

• Boil enough water to fill jars to the jar’s rim. Let cool, then cover tightly with jar lid.

• Turn jar upside down to mix ingredients and store at room temperature for at least three weeks. Move to refrigerator and store for up to four months.