Meyer Lemon Paste

Meyer Lemon Paste

by Samrin Nosrat

Ingredients

• 10 Meyer lemons, preferably organic and unwaxed, washed

• Kosher salt

• 1-inch piece fresh turmeric root, peeled and thinly sliced (optional)

How to Prepare

Halve 8 lemons crosswise and use the tip of a paring knife to remove the seeds (the remaining lemons will be for juicing). Slice into each lemon half from the cut side toward the end, leaving the two pieces connected by about 1/2 inch of fruit.

Working over a bowl to catch run-off, rub a generous amount of kosher salt (about 2 tsp/6 g lemon half) over all of the exposed lemon flesh, then reshape the lemon halves.

Reserving the bowl of excess salt and juice, tightly pack the lemons into a sterilized wide-mouth 1-quart glass jar, breaking them apart as needed to fit them all in. If using turmeric, layer slices in as you go.

Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the reserved bowl of salt and top the jar off with the salty juice. Use a chopstick to remove air bubbles from between the lemons, gently tap the jar on the counter to let the juice settle, and add more lemon juice if needed to ensure the lemons are submerged, leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top of the jar. Seal the jar with a sterilized lid (if using a metal lid, wrap it with plastic wrap to prevent corrosion).

Leave the jar at cool room temperature out of direct sunlight, shaking the jar daily and checking that the lemons remain submerged. The lemons are ready when the rinds are tender, about 3 weeks in moderate climates (in a cool climate this can take up to 1 month, while in a warm climate the lemons may be ready in about a week).

Reserving the brine, transfer the lemons and turmeric to a blender or food processor. Pulse the blend, adding a splash of brine if needed to encourage things along. When the lemons have mostly broken down, taste the paste and, if desired, add some or all of the brine to taste (otherwise, you can save the brine in a separate jar). Continue blending to achieve your desired texture – I prefer a smooth puree and usually end up using all of the brine. Transfer to a sterilized jar, covered with a sterilized lid, and refrigerate up to 1 year, as long as you're very careful to not cross-contaminate (i.e., always use a clean utensil and don't double-dip!).

Recipe from Samin Nosrat (author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat) KCRW interview - check it out for bonus cake recipe!