I think we can all agree about this– we’ve had some truly wacky weather all over the place this winter. In 2014, we’ve moved way past Snowpocalypse and onto Polar Vortex. Add onto that the Velveeta and Sriracha shortages (not weather related but just as foreboding), and I’m pretty sure Armageddon is just right around the corner.
Or maybe I’m being Hyperbole Girl, and I should just simmer down and make my own sunshine.
Enter… Salt preserved Meyer lemons. I was inspired by this post on Northwest Edible Life. She found a way to make this process a lot less drama than it could be, which I love. When I found Meyer lemons on sale at Whole Foods, I assumed it was The Universe telling me “This is how I want you to use that cute little pint jar left over from your last canning adventure,” and went for it.
I was going to do a walk-through here, but honestly, she explains it so well I’d just be repeating everything she said. The whole process (click the link!) was super easy, and I now have a lovely jar of preserved lemons that I can throw into pasta dishes, or maybe these Roasted Brussels Sprouts from Local Kitchen. You can just use regular lemons if you can’t get your hands on Meyers. Meyers just have a milder flavor that lends itself to this treatment. I completely recommend having a jar of preserved lemons around at all times… but if you’re one of those people who needs to have a specific reason for a little project like this… maybe I can help.
Remember that awesome cookbook from Faith at an Edible Mosaic that I got in the cookbook swap? Faith is so awesome, she’s letting me have a copy to give away to one lucky reader! How cool is that?
A quick search on my Kindle tells me there are quite a few recipes in there that call for lemon or lemon juice, and I’m guessing many of them would be amazing with the little extra hit of lemon flavor you can get from a little bit of preserved lemon thrown in– sort of upping the lemon ante, if you will.
But trust me, lemons or no lemons, this is a cookbook you want on your shelf. It’s such a wonderful resource for those of us with an interest in authentic Middle Eastern cooking, even if you don’t cook from it often (Why wouldn’t you?!?!), it’s a seriously interesting read.
I’m keeping this giveaway super low tech so it’s easy to enter, and in addition to the book, I’ll hook you up with some great Middle Eastern spices from my favorite Denver spice shop, Savory. All you need to do is go like the I’m Gonna Cook That! Facebook page OR follow me on Twitter, and then come back over here to the blog and let me know in the comments. For one extra entry, just share this post with your friends on Facebook, and leave a separate comment to let me know.
Easy peasy, right?
The winner will be drawn at random, and I’ll announce the winner on March 15th. Good luck!