Sugar Preserved Lemon Zest
A method for preserving citrus zest. Although lemons and oranges are now available year-round, this method is still valuable when you find special seasonal lemons (organic or Meyer lemons for example). For instance, Meyer lemons are available here during December-January. To enjoy their special aroma for longer, I preserved the zest with sugar and froze their juice. Tomorrow I'm receiving a few kilograms of lemons and oranges from Spain, so I'll do the same with them.
20 lemons (medium)
20 level tablespoons sugar
- If the lemons are not organic, cover them with hot water in which you've dissolved 2 tablespoons of baking soda (this serves to disinfect and neutralize pesticides; or you can use vinegar instead of baking soda). Let them sit for 15 minutes. Scrub well with a sponge, rinse in clean water, and then dry with a clean towel. If they are organic, just wash the lemons with hot water.
- Zest the lemons using a fine grater (a microplane is very efficient even for lemons with thin, delicate skin like Meyer), being careful not to include the white pith.
- Mix the zest with the sugar and place in a clean jar. Screw on the lid and store in the refrigerator. After a few days you'll notice that the mixture has macerated (the sugar melts and the zest becomes translucent; in the photo you can see that the maceration process has already begun at the bottom of the jar).
