Jon Singer on sat 25 dec 04
Hi, all.
I learned a slightly different method from Rafih Benjelloun,
who is now at Imperial Fez in Atlanta, Georgia:
Take each lemon and slice off one end, just enough so you can
see the juicy part. (Maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch, 6-12 mm.) Slice
the lemon in quarters, starting from the flat cut face, but
don't cut all the way down to the point -- you want it to
open up like a 4-petalled flower.
Pack lemons _loosely_ into the bottom of the jar, points down,
until they just form a complete layer, then cover them with
salt. (You can drop the chopped-off ends back on top of them
if you like.) Pack another layer, cover with salt. Continue
until there isn't room for another layer. Add just enough
water to cover them, and close the jar.
Every day or so, "burp" the jar to let excess gas escape, and
invert it a couple times to stir the liquid. After a while
all of the salt will dissolve, and the liquid will eventually
stop bubbling, though you should check it once in a while to
be sure it isn't building up any pressure. The lemons will be
fully pickled in perhaps another month or two, though the exact
amount of time depends on how warm or cold it is.
When you are ready to use them, rinse off any excess brine
before you slice them. I tend to slice them fairly thin,
perhaps 1/8 inch (3 mm) or a bit thicker, but it's really
a matter of taste.
I've also done this with Key limes, but it takes a lot more of
them to fill the same size of jar.
Happy holidays --
jon
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