Preserved Lemons

Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Select a large clean jar with a tight-fitting lid for preserving the lemons. Figure out how many lemons will fit into the jar. You'll need those lemons plus the juice from about 1 1/2 times that amount. Leaving one end intact, cut each lemon you're preserving into quarters lengthwise. Fill each lemon "blossom" with about a tablespoon of salt and place in the jar.

Squeeze the juice from the extra lemons and pour the lemon juice over the salted lemons. Fill the rest of the jar with boiling water. Screw the lid on tightly.

Let the jar sit on your counter for about 10 days, shaking it up once a day to redistribute juices and salt. Then refrigerate for up to 6 months.

To use: Rinse the preserved lemons before using. You can use the yellow rind and/or the flesh, but discard the bitter white pith.