Lemon Preserve BASE

Introduction

This quick preserve is like an exacto knife: you can live without it, but when you have it you will find yourself using it all the time. With a little sparkling water it adds a zesty zing to a mocktail. (The preserve, not the exacto knife, just to be clear.) Mix it with chicken stock and cornstarch to make a lemon chicken sauce. Or add it to salad dressings for a puckering kick. It’s quick and easy to make and once it’s in the fridge it keeps for about two weeks, so there’s plenty of time to find many other uses for it. The only trick is using organic lemons. Non-organic ones often have a wax on the peel that will ruin the flavour.

Ingredients

2 large organic lemons 

3 t salt

¼ cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best; about two lemons)

¼ cup white wine (any variety will do, but we like sauvignon blanc)

Directions

  1. Slice the two lemons, with skin on, into rounds. Cut rounds in half. 

  2. Add lemon slices to a Dutch oven with all the other ingredients. Stir to combine.

  3. Turn a burner to high heat and bring lemon mix to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer.

  4. Once liquid has reduced by about half cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for an additional for 6 minutes, or until it is a thick, marmalade like consistency.

  5. Transfer lemon preserve to a mason jar or other container, cool and store in refrigerator.

  6. Use liberally on just about anything that would benefit from a lemon zing: fish, chicken, cocktails, salad dressings, yogurt…