PICKLING and JAMMING

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Once Christmas is over and all the decorations have been put away the place always looks so bare, so empty and it's at this time I love to bring a bit of Springtime into my life. This is easy with the abundance of Spring flowers that are in every supermarket and outside the flower shops, all tempting me to buy them. I always chose yellow tulips and daffodils and of course some hyacinths to fill the house with a lovely smell.
I decided to brighten up daffodils with some lemons and limes.







 
 Guess I hadn't drunk enough G&T's to use up all my citrus purchases! Also with a plan to make some lime marmalade, first attempt, I had bought in a few more, but hadn't used them all so still had my display intact.

                                                


The process was quite long and I had to soak skins overnight after squeezing and removing all the pith and pips. However with no pips in the limes I made do with the pith. Two hours boiling then more time with sugar to get to setting point. I was unsure of what he outcome would be but happy to admit I was very pleasantly surprised with the results. I added some gin to a few of the jars so some of the limes did end up in the gin, just in a different format. LOL

As I will be leaving for a month back in Shanghai for my final trip, I wondered what to do with the last of the lemons and limes. Whilst looking a Pintrest I came across post on preserved lemons. Quick and  easy, and I couldn't see why I couldn't use the same process with limes. The fruit, salt, bay leaf and boiling water. How hard could this be. As I now have the luxury of a boiling tap in the kitchen it wouldn't even necessitate boiling a kettle.


Happy with the look of the packed jars and with the intention of trying out some middle eastern cookery when I come back I am very pleased with myself.

Here are the instructions for the preserved fruits.

 6 Lemons, Salt, Bay Leaf, Boiling Water.

Cut 4 lemons into quarters but don't go all the way through. 
Pack them with salt and pack into sterilised jar adding 1tsp salt between each layer. Pack tightly.
Squeeze the 2 lemons into the jar and fill jar with boiling water. put one half of squeezed lemon on top, this is to keep lemons submerged in the liquid, and close jar tightly.

Keep for at least 1 month before using. 

I can now look forward to using them when I return. The limes will be more experimental as I haven't seen them in recipes but I cannot see why they wouldn't be interchangeable with the lemons.

No blogging now until I return but hope you will join me once again on my return. I'm sure there will be a tale or two to tell and hopefully a recipe to share.









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