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The Lemon Tree:
Anyone blessed with a lemon tree in their garden will have, not one, but three crops each year.
The main harvest,
between September and December, depending on the weather, is known as the cosecha which literally means "the harvest". From February to May, this is
followed by the retardio which may produce slightly smaller fruit or fruit with more pips. June to August is the time for the San Juanero crop when the
redrojos are picked. This is named after Saint John the Baptist whose festival falls in the summer. Redrojo is a term also used to describe an
unexpected child conceived some years after the family was thought to be complete.
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Garden Lemonade:
This recipe combines fruit and flowers easily found in our Axarquian gardens - give it a try!
Serves 6
5 cups of water
1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers or 1/4 cup fresh
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
6 large strawberries (optional)
2 & 1/4 cups lemon juice
1/4 cup dried pink hibiscus flowers
Fresh lavender flowers to garnish
1) In a saucepan combine half the water, sugar, hibiscus flowers, lavender and strawberries.
2) Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
3) Strain the liquid into a jug or jar, squeezing juice from strawberries if used.
4) Add remaining water and lemon juice. Stir well.
5) Before serving add ice cubes and garnish with lavender flowers. |
Lemonade:
Serves 6
Juice of 6 lemons
6 cups of water
1/2 cup sugar
1 lemon, cut into paper thin slices
1) Dissolve sugar in 1 cup of hot water.
2) Strain lemon juice into jug.
3) Add remaining water and sugar water.
4) Add lemon slices and ice cubes. Stir to bruise lemons.
5) Serve in tall glasses.
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Preserved Lemons - Middle Eastern Style:
An excellent way to use the glut of lemons from your Mediterranean garden, preserved lemons are essential
for Moroccan recipes, such as chicken tajine, and a wonderful addition to a chicken casserole.
Lemons - fresh and of good quality
Sea salt
Bay leaf
Spices of choice
Olive oil
1) Wash the lemons and rinse with boiling water (can blanch)
2) Slice lemons and discard any pips.
3) Layer the slices into clean jars, putting a sprinkling of salt between each layer.
4) Push a few slices vertically down the sides for a decorative finish.
NOTE: Add any flavouring as you go – like small dried chillies, sprigs of rosemary, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon sticks and coriander seeds for
a different flavour.
5) Gently push the lemons down and then pour olive oil over, slowly filling to the top and cover with a sterilised lid. If there is any air left
at the top of the jar the lemons may grow mould so once the lid is tight turn the jars up and down to mix the oil and salt thoroughly and then, the next
day, when they have settled top up with more oil.
6) The jars need to be left somewhere warm or even in the sun for 2-4 weeks before use. By this time the oil will have taken up all the flavours.
NOTE: Any excess oil can be used in salad dressing and the lemons themselves are great with Moroccan dishes, hummus, cold meats, hard-boiled eggs and mayonnaise. |
Preserved Lemons - Moroccan Style:
Preserved lemons are sold loose in the souks of Morocco and are indispensable to Moroccan cooking. They are
used in fragrant lamb and vegetables tagines, chicken recipes and salads. Their unique pickled taste and special texture cannot be duplicated with fresh
lemon juice. In Morocco they are made with a mixture of fragrant-skinned doqq and tart boussera lemons, but the recipe below works well with Spanish lemons.
8 large thin-skinned lemons
300 grams of rock salt
300 ml lemon juice (8-10 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1) Scrub the lemons and cut into four from the pointed end, leaving the quarters joined at the stalk end.
2) Open gently and remove visible pips.
3) Press 1 tablespoon of salt against the cut edges of each wedge.
4) Push lemons back into shape and pack tightly in a 2-litre clip-top jar.
5) Add 1 cup of lemon juice, the remaing salt, peppercorns and bay leaf.
6) Fill the jar with remaining lemon juice. Seal and shake. Place in a cool, dark place for six weeks, inverting the jar every week.
7) After four weeks the cloudy liquid will clear and the lemons are ready when the pith is no longer white.
Each time you use the lemons, cover the brine with a layer of olive oil before resealing the jar. Rinse off the salt before use. |
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