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Preserve the Bounty: August 2010 |
Fermentation was born of practicality – a way to preserve the harvest of summer well into the deepest and darkest days of winter which may be why fermented foods play such an enormously important role in the traditional culinary practices of cold-climate cultures. Germans revel in sauerkraut, Koreans in kimchi and Russians in sour beets and kvass.
I love making these preserved lemons from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook, one of my favourite cookbooks to leaf through. These limes take a few weeks to make, and the original recipe uses lemons. I enjoy making these, a preservation very similar to the Indian pickle, but less spicy and more flavorful. Less oily too as Indian pickles are often preserved in oil. This is the second jar I have in progress, as the first is almost gone. I use preserved limes often … in Chicken Paillard Fried in Cumin Butter, sometimes tossed into the food processor while making Turkish Adana Kebabs, or Indian Chicken Reshmi Kebabs. I love the burst of tangy flavour these limes offer. The red chili enticingly takes the tangy flavours of the lime, and lends back just a slight hint of heat to the limes … well balanced and definitely addictive. I am guilty of often nibbling a bit of lime now and then!
Fermentation is almost a magical effort on behalf of beneficial microbes. With minimal effort, a teeny bit of luck and a lot of patience, these microscopic do-gooders will change sweet to sour and make fresh foods, in all their vitamin- and enzyme-rich glory, last for years.
Preserved Limes
10-12 limes, {You can add a few tangerines if you like; I did}6 tbsp coarse sea salt2 sprigs rosemary1 large red chiliJuice of 8 limes1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil {I used Borges that I recently received from Borges India.}Method:
Before you begin, get a large enough jar to accommodate the limes in. To sterilise it, fill it with boiling water, leave for a minute and then empty it. Allow to dry naturally without wiping it so it remains sterilised.Wash the limes and tangerines if using, and cut a deep cross all the way from the top to about 1/2an inch to the bottom, so that you have 4 quarters that are still attached. Stuff each lime with 1/2 a spoon of salt and place in jar. Push the limes in tightly so they are all squeezed together well. Seal the jar and leave for a week.After this, remove the lid and press the lemons as hard as you can to squeeze as much juice out of them as possible. Add the rosemary, chili and lime juice and cover with a thin layer of olive oil. Seal the jar and place in a cool place for 4 weeks. {I kept it in the fridge as it’s very very warm here}. The longer you leave them, the better the flavour.
