Preserved Lemons

From the garden

• 8 lemons, scrubbed well · thin-skinned Meyer types are the classic choice, but any unsprayed lemon works
• 3 lemons for juices · juiced as needed to keep the jar topped up

From the pantry

• ½ cup kosher or coarse sea salt · plain salt without anti-caking additives
• 2 bay leaves (optional)
• 1 tsp black peppercorns (optional)

1. Sterilize a quart jar and its lid in boiling water. Scrub the lemons well under warm water: the rind is the part you'll eat.
2. Trim the nub off each lemon's blossom end, then quarter lengthwise from the top, stopping 1/2 inch short of the stem end so the lemon stays hinged together. Pack about a tablespoon of salt into the cuts of each one.
3. Press the salted lemons into the jar one at a time, crushing them down hard with a wooden spoon so they release juice as they go. Scatter in the remaining salt and the bay leaves and peppercorns as you layer, if using.
4. Squeeze the extra lemons and pour in enough juice to submerge everything completely, leaving a little space at the top. Seal the jar.
5. Leave at cool room temperature for 1 week, turning the jar over daily to redistribute the salt. Then refrigerate and wait: they're ready in about 4 weeks, when the rinds are soft, translucent, and smell like nothing else. To use, rinse a piece, scrape away the flesh, and mince the rind.