Easy Preserved Meyer Lemons

Citrus season in California always seems never ending to me. In a good way. But there is a season, and that season peaks in winter, and spills into spring. The Meyer lemons are still around, but they're definitely on their way out. Before they go, I like to preserve a few jars.

Preserved lemons are some of the easiest of preserved foods to make. They involve little other than lemons, salt, and sanitized mason jars (just boil the jars totally submerged in water, lids off, for 10-12 minutes). You can flavor them with whatever spices you like - although I'm partial to the combination of black pepper, bay, and cinnamon. A friend gifted me a jar of lemons she preserved with fennel seed and pink pepper corn, which was lovely.

And then what do you do with them?

They're pungent, and borderline astringent. They're salty, acidic, and flavor-packed. A little goes a long way. But that little bitt adds notes of complexity. It makes you go: "what's in this?" It both highlights the essence of a lemon, and takes lemons to another otherworldly flavor.

I like to use them in homemade hummus (a la Joan Nathan's recipe in her new cookbook). They're beautiful in chicken dishes, and in tagine (they are a common North African ingredient). I also like to make a simple dip with thick plain yogurt, chopped fresh mint, and super finely chopped preserved lemon. 

This recipe works for any lemon, but lemons that are thin-skinned, like Meyer's, seem to work best. 

Preserved Lemons

Makes 1 pint jar

5-6 lemons, depending on their size

Kosher salt, as needed

3-4 fresh bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon black or pink peppercorns

Lemon juice, as needed

1 pint mason jar, sterilized

Quarter each lemon by slicing the top down within half an inch of the bottom, leaving them connected. Pack salt into the lemon then press it back into its original shape.

Fill the bottom of the mason jar with a layer of salt. Layer the salted lemons into the bottom of the jar. Top each layer with more salt, and squeeze lemon juice over each layer as well. Top each layer with bay leaf and peppercorn, and stick the cinnamon stick into the jar as you layer. Pack all of the lemons in tight and make sure everything is covered with a layer of salt and lemon juice.

Place the jar on your kitchen counter or in a pantry and shake the jar once a day for 30 days. After 30 days, the lemons are ready for use. Once opened, I prefer to keep my lemons in the fridge. They’ll keep for up to 1 year.

Before using the lemons, rinse each piece as needed to remove the excess salt.

Blood Orange, Ricotta, Almond Cake (Gluten Free)

I first spotted this lovely cake on Liz Prueitt's Instagram. She wrote out the recipe in the photo's description; the recipe is adapted from The River Cafe Classic Italian Cookbook. I meant to try the cake soon after I saw the photo, and then blood orange season came and went, and time does what it does.

I stumbled on some particularly good blood oranges this week, and the weather suddenly became sunny and warm. I've been watching the Great British Baking Show and have been itching to bake something; the stars aligned. I researched a few cake recipes before I remembered Prueitt's. A short search revealed that the recipe had been written up on the always wonderful SmittenKitchen (thank you).

I found a lot of blood orange cakes that involved flour and cornmeal - they all looked a little dense and dry. Unlike most of the others, this one involves no flour and also adds ricotta. I liked that it sounded like a cheesecake, and I always like to have more gluten free recipes in the arsenal (many clients and friends have intolerances). The trickiest part of this cake is folding egg whites into the batter; but that shouldn't deter you from trying - when in doubt, don't overmix.

This cake is glossy and shiny and pretty with the multi-colored stunning blood oranges. The brown sugar that candies the orange takes away any bitterness from the pith, and adds a welcome caramel note to the cake. The cake is cheesecake-like, but not too dense. The cornmeal adds a toothsome note. There's really not much to change in the original recipe, and the only thing I did different than both Liz and SK is that I combined both lemon and orange zest into the better, and lemon and orange juice into the batter.

This cake is one of those cakes that tastes even better than it looks.

Blood Orange, Ricotta, Almond Cake (via Liz Prueitt and SmittenKitchen)

2 blood oranges
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoons water
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 oz) softened unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 cup packed finely ground almond flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup whole milk ricotta
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup citrus juice (orange + lemon)
3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon table salt
apricot jam (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Grease a 9" cake pan and line it with parchment.

In a bowl combine the brown sugar and water. Add it to the bottom of the cake tin. Thinly slice a blood orange. Line the bottom of the tin with orange slices.

In a bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the yolks one at a time. Mix in the almond flour and cornmeal. Mix in the ricotta. Zest 1 orange and 1 lemon. Juice the citrus until you have a 1/3 cup's worth of juice. Add the zest and juice to the batter, and mix.

Beat the egg whites with salt until they form soft peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter until just incorporated.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the center comes out clean when tested with a skewer/toothpick.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes (it will start to naturally pull away from the sides), then flip it onto a platter and allow it to fully cool prior to serving.

If you want it extra glossy, heat up some apricot jam and brush it over the cake while it's still warm. 

Keeps well in the fridge (if you have any leftover :)

Citrus, Pomegranate and Mint Salad

While it is still technically winter, Southern California is abundant with great fruit and vegetables right now. Citrus is in its prime and there are countless varieties available at local farmers’ markets. Everything from Murcat mandarins, to Meyer lemons, to Kaffir limes, to kumquats, to tangerines, to pomelos are in season. I am particularly in love with the soft pink-colored-not-too-sweet Cara Cara oranges, and the deep red floral and slightly bitter blood oranges.

This Sunday night marks the beginning of Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish new year for trees. While there aren’t too many customs and rules associated with the holiday, many Jews celebrate with a Tu B’Shevat seder and by planting trees. Some folks celebrate by eating as many as 15 different varieties of fruits and vegetables for the holiday.

This salad is meant to celebrate the fruit that is in season now, and here during Tu B’Shevat. The recipe calls for both Cara Cara and blood oranges, but you can pick any of your favorite varieties of citrus (you could even add more than 3 varieties of citrus). The idea is to pile up the citrus fruit on top of your favorite lettuce or greens, cover it with a layer of sweet and tart pomegranate seeds, good quality feta cheese, lots of bright fresh mint, and a drizzle of tangy pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. Pomegranate molasses is simply reduced/concentrated pomegranate juice. If you don’t have pomegranate molasses you can dress this salad with a simple combination of lemon juice and olive oil.

Enjoy!

Tu B’Shevat Citrus, Pomegranate, and Mint Salad

Serves 4-6 (recipe can be doubled or tripled as needed)

for the salad-

1 small head of lettuce, your favorite variety (Speckled, Romaine,Little Gem)

2 small Cara Cara oranges (or any available orange)

1 small blood orange (or any available orange)

2 tangerines

½ cup feta cheese, cubed small or crumbled

⅓ cup pomegranate seeds

¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

for the dressing-

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey, or to taste

½ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Start by removing the peel and outer membrane from all of the citrus. Slice off the very top and bottom of the fruit. Next, cut the peel and outer membrane away from the flesh by standing the fruit on its bottom and carefully run the knife alongside the fruit, cutting away the peel one section at a time. Once you have cut away the peel, slice the citrus into half inch rounds. Alternatively, you can also fully supreme the fruit.

Lay the lettuce leaves down into your serving platter or bowl. If using large leaves of lettuce, slice the lettuce into smaller pieces. Lay the fruit on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and fresh mint. Season with a pinch of salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, honey and salt. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust according to your liking. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

Chocolate Covered Cara Cara Oranges

This recipe is one of the easiest in my arsenal. It takes a modest investment of time and only 2 ingredients. You don't have to worry about exact measurements, and it's seasonally versatile.

Yes, these are simply oranges dipped in chocolate. That's it. However, when cut attractively, and when using the best possible fruit at the best possible time in that fruit's season with very very good chocolate, it's a stunning and delicious dessert. Also, it's always a crowd pleaser. Citrus is a great way to end a meal - especially in winter.

Cara cara oranges are at their peak right now. They're distinctively grapefruit-like in color on the inside, but with no bitterness and incredibly sweet and floral in flavor. I picked these up from Ken's Top Notch Produce stand at the Hollywood Farmers' market, but I've even seen Cara Cara's sold at Trader Joe's. Alternatively, you can use any citrus you like: tangerines, grapefruit (for that I omit the peel entirely when dipping in chocolate), pomelo, etc. You can also dip anything else in chocolate: strawberries, coconut, blackberries, pears, persimmons, and more.

The key is to be gentle with the chocolate when you heat it up - once it's melted take it off the heat and act fast. The second trick is to make sure the fruit isn't too damp or the chocolate won't stick. The third key is to lay the dipped chocolate flat on a lined baking sheet, and immediately chill the fruit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before you're ready to serve it.

Chocolate Covered Cara Cara Oranges
Serves 6

1-2 cups good quality dark or milk chocolate*
2 oranges, sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch thick circles and then into half moons
flake salt, to taste**

Start by slicing your fruit. If you do not want to have your guests deal with the peel, you can also just peel and segment the orange, but I prefer the look of the slices. Lay the orange slices over a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Add the chocolate to a double boiler (or a metal bowl placed on top of a simmering pot of water). Occasionally stir until chocolate is just melted. Turn off the heat, and carefully dip the orange slices so that they are halfway covered by the melted chocolate. Lay the dipped orange onto the lined baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt, if desired. Repeat until all of the oranges are dipped in chocolate.

* If using 2 cups of chocolate it will be easier to dip, but you might have extra chocolate at the end (sometimes I drizzle this over some cookies or other fruit). Also, for a glossier finish, you can add a tablespoon of coconut oil to the chocolate once it has just melted.

** I used Jacobsen Pinot Noir Flake Salt in this recipe. Alternatively you could sprinkle a little cayenne for heat, cinnamon for spice, or Turbinado sugar for extra sweetness