Time to Preserve Citrus

If you are a fan of Tagines, you will want to grow your own lemon trees and preserve their fruit. Winter is when the lemons plump up and turn yellow to signal they are ripe. Here's how to do it:

1. Start by washing your hands and sterilizing mason jars. You will need a couple medium/large lemons per quart-sized jar. Add two teaspoons of Kosher salt to the bottom of each jar. 
2. Slice a tip off the bottom of each lemon. Quarter from top to bottom but not all the way through. Add a teaspoon of salt per lemon inside the lemons. Squeeze lemon closed and stuff into jar. Press another lemon on top of the first one to squish it down. Add more lemons to fill each jar, making enough lemon juice to cover the fruit. They do need to be completely submerged in their own liquid. Then, add a whole red or green chile pepper (not one that is blasting hot) for a bit of flavor. 
3. Cover jars tightly. Turn jars every two or three days.

They will be ready to eat in one month, and will keep for a year without being refrigerated. To use in a recipe, simply rinse the quarter or half lemon you need. More is not more -- too much will overwhelm your dish. Use sparingly.