Tuesday, August 31

Lemons 101


Our tree is groaning. We're using them as fast as we can and as fast as is humanly possibly. We have sold them to Food Connect Adelaide (I can now add primary producer to the CV), made oh, 10 litres of limoncello, juiced them, made lemon curd, placed bowls full at work, sent friend home with them, zest them into meals, squeezed them on pasta and roasted greens. I've even taken to drinking the juice straight each day. It makes no dent in the volume. Im getting desperate. Yesterday I managed to use 10 in an Indian lemon pickle (I love Brinjal pickle with curries so I'm hoping this will work for my tastebuds too). Solar cooked for a month, this should end up a rich and thick pasty sweet sour lemon gloop.

10 lemons, finely chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup salt
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
3 tsp tumeric

dry roast seeds and whiz/pestle to dry powder. Add tumeric and salt and sugar. Mix into lemons. Seal for 1 month. Store in sunny place.

10 comments:

Rixa said...

Wow--the idea of having a tree that grows lemons sounds so exotic to me! I live in the midwestern (more northern than southern) US so anything like lemons is out of the question. Good luck using them all up!

Umatji said...

hmm, I think I need some advice - we are hills as well and our lemon trees constantly look like they have been on a horribly terrible brutal life journey despite all the loving we can give them. Any tips? Also do you have the recipe for your lemon cello? Also, we no longer rinse when we brush our teeth. Thanks for that!

greenfumb said...

I know how you feel, I look like I have a spray tan from all the oranges we've been eating. My lemons are good but obviously not as prolific as yours.

Umatji, my husband pees on our tree (nitrogen) and the chooks free range underneath the orange tree and that seems to do the trick.

Kelly said...

Rixa- see that shocks me- just coz i forget that whats local to me...and its like huh, lemons, exotic!? thanks, we are trying hard.

umatji - we too are not sure! yes, it does gets summer time pee!)too cold to pee outside in winter) but it comes down to just chancing upon the perfect location. ours is very well drained(above a retaining wall) and has access to an underground spring and the uphill neighbours old leaky septic tank! No help at all really, but you can come get some! If you search my blog for 'limoncello' you will find it. And LOL at toothpaste trick- i was forever using it as my party piece when i first really 'got' what toothpaste was for.

greenfumb - yeah, we've also got oranges, 3 mandarins and a greapefruit! aggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Kale for Sale said...

I love these recipes that just get to sit for a month and since I haven't acquired the imagination for the salted preserved lemons I think I should give this sugared version a try. Thank you!

Kelly said...

kale- yes, me too in my aging...watch it do its stuff with a glass of wine in hand is much more civilised!

Margo said...

I started a batch of these today - looking forward to tasting them once they're done!
http://margoandjerry.blogspot.com/2010/09/lemon-lime-pickles.html

Kelly said...

hi margo- hope its as good as it sounds- I usually love pickle...glad to hear it inspired someone else in the inevitable annual lemon glut

Margo said...

Kelly once the month is up what do you do - just pop in the fridge and then eat?

Kelly said...

yup- thats what i have done- let us know how how they go!

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