English Translation Provided
Below.
Gepreserveerde suurlemoene is ‘n elegante studie in sout, geduld en gedempte
afwagting. En die eindproduk is beslis alles wat dit jou uitdagend en
koketterig belowe vanaf hul eenkant plek op jou kombuis toonbank waar dit sedig
staan en bekwaam raak.
Hierdie konserf bring ‘n intense, ampers donker, suurlemoen essensie na
enige gereg waarin dit aangewend word. Dit dra ‘suurlemoen’ by sonder die skerp,
bytende en gulsig oorheersende aard van die vars vrug. Let op die onderskeid
hier: die vaardige kok gebruik nie gepreserveerde suurlemoen nie, maar wend dit
kreatief aan om geregte te verhef, ‘n dieper geur fondament in te lê en ‘n titseltjie
misterie te vestig. Tereg kan mens opsom: Gepreserveerde suurloen dra ‘n
onmiskenbare sitrus umami by waar dit
ookal betrokke raak.
Die uitgerekte preserveer proses tem daardie groot, skerp uitskieters op
vars suurlemoen se geur profiel, onderdruk die onvoorspelbare bitterheid van
die wit pluis en omvorm die skil tekstuur na ‘n ingetoë fluweelagtigheid. Die
afgeronde suurlemoen essensie word gesuiwerd uitgelig as die gekapte skil eers
vooraf geblansjeer word met kookwater, anders mag die stewige pekel die smaak
van ‘n gereg skeef trek. Loutering is voordelig, dit veredel suiwer essensie vanuit
die onguurte van droes en sloert.
Die omvangryke aanwending van gepreserveerde suurlemoen is enkel ‘n
funksie van die rykwydte, inisiatief en sier van die kok se verbeelding en
skeppingsdrang. Verpulp die voorbereide skil vir ‘n effe byterige, intense
suurlemoen ondertoon aan enige slaaisous, of verlig die doodsheid van enige
pluimvee stopsel met growwe stukke skil in die preparaat. Repies suurlemoen in
jou volgende gemengde rys gereg sal lig bring aan hierdie wêreld, onderandere.
Selfs die oorweldigende sout pulp (wat gewoonlik weggegooi word) het ‘n
yl aanwending: maak dit fyn met ‘n vurk en voeg ‘n titseltjie by Gin & Tonic of ‘n Vodka Martini en
ervaar hoe beide spoed vang soos ‘n hamster op Tik.
My voorkeur aanwendings vir gekapte skil is om die langsaam groeiende eentonigheid
van diep geurige bredies en stowe geregte (soos beesstert, ossobuco, hutspot, ens.) te onderbreek of om die intimiderende aardsheid
van orgaan bereidings (soos lewers, tong, niertjies, ens.) onverwags te demp.
|
Hoeveel
tyd?:
|
|
± 3– 4 Weke
|
Spesiale
Toerusting Benodig:
1
x ± 1 L outydse tipe, canned fruit styl,
skroef deksel, glas bottel.
Bestandele:
|
|
|
|
Groot, swaar, dunskil
suurlemoene
|
6
|
|
Sout
|
250
ml
|
|
|
|
|
Swartpeper korrels
|
5
ml
|
|
Kaneel stokkies of Cassia
bas stukke
|
2
/ 5
|
|
Groen kardamom sade,
gekneus
|
5
|
|
Lourier blare
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
Kommersiële suurlemoensap
|
±
250 ml
|
Metode:
1.
Steriliseer die glas bottel: Vul die bottel met kokende water en laat
dit eenkant staan vir 3 – 5 minute. Gooi die kookwater uit en laat staan die
bottel onderste bo tot benodig.
2. Borsel die suurlemoene deeglik
af onder koue, lopende water. Moenie die skil beskadig nie.
3. Sny elke suurlemoen oorlangs in
kwarte. Dit is nie nodig om die pitte te verwyder nie.
4. Skep ‘n lagie sout onder in die bottel en pak
‘n laag suurlemoen kwarte styf bo-op. Plaas ‘n stukkie kaneel, ‘n lourier
blaar, ‘n kardamom peul en ‘n paar swartpeper korrels bo-op. Strooi ‘n laag
sout bo-oor. Herhaal hierdie proses totdat die fles vol is. Strooi sout
mildelik oor die boonste laag.
5. Druk die sap van die
oorblywende suurlemoen kwarte uit direk in die bottel in. Vul die vloeistof
vlak aan tot heel bo met die kommersiële suurlemoensap, indien nodig.
6. Skroef die deksel styf op en
draai die bottel ‘n paar keer onderste bo om al die bestandele goed te meng.
7. Laat staan eenkant (verkieslik weg
vanuit direkte sonlig) in jou kombuis – waar jy dit elke dag kan sien – vir
sowat vier weke.
8. Om te gebruik: Verwyder ‘n
suurlemoen kwart versigtig (die skil word baie sag) en skraap die vrug pulp uit
met ‘n teelepel. Gooi die pulp weg. Spoel die wig skil goed af in lopende water
en kap dit op soos nodig. Plaas die gekapte skil in ‘n metaal kommetjie en gooi
kookwater bo-oor. Laat staan vir ± 15 minute om die pekel uit te trek.
Kommentaar:
·
Ek vermoed die ou growwe skil, boere suurlemoen gaan heelwat
meer kommersiële suurlemoensap nodig hê, synde hulle nie juis berug is vir hul sap
inhoud nie. Dit sal ook langer moet staan om die bitterheid van die wit pluis
af te breek.
© RS Young,
2017
Moroccan
Style Preserved Lemons
Preserved lemons are an elegant study in salt, patience and suppressed
expectations. And the final product definately lives up to the provocative and
flirtatious promises from their quiet spot on your kitchen counter, where it
demurely ripens to full maturity.
This preserve delivers an intense, almost sombre, lemon essence to any
dish that it is applied to. It contributes ‘lemonyness’ without the tart and
greedily dominating character of the fresh fruit. Note the distinction here:
the skilled cook does not use preserved lemon, but applies it creatively to elevate;
lay down a deeper flavour foundation and establish a smidgen of mystery. Rightly
we may summarise: Preserved lemon adds an unmistakable citrus umami where ever
it becomes involved.
The protracted preservation process tames the big, sharp peaks on the
flavour profile of fresh lemons, suppresses the unpredictable bitterness in the
pith and transforms the peel’s texture to a modest silkiness. The rounded lemon
essence is magnified, purified and true, by blanching chopped peel with boiling
water before use, as the looming saltiness of the preserving fluid may distort
the taste of a dish. Purification is good, it exalts essence from the baseness
of dross and impurity.
The comprehensive application of preserved lemon is purely a function of
the reach, initiative and finesse of the cook’s imagination and creativity.
Puree the prepared peel to add a somewhat tart, intense lemony undertone to any
salad dressing, or enliven the dreariness of poultry forcemeat with roughly chopped
pieces of peel in the stuffing. Strips of this peel in your next mixed rice
dish will bring enlightenment, amongst others, to this world.
Even the intensely salty fruit pulp (usually discarded) has meagre application:
liquefy a little with a fork and add a tad to pedestrian Gin & Tonic or a boring
Vodka Martini and experience how both suddenly hustle like a gerbil on Speed.
My preferred applications for diced peel are to interrupt the sometimes gradually
expanding monotony of deeply savoury stews and ragout’s (e.g. braised oxtail, ossobuco, hotpots, etc.) and to unexpectedly
mute the intimidating earthiness of organ preparations such as liver, tongue and
kidney dishes, for example.
|
Preparation
time?:
|
|
± 3– 4 Weeks
|
Special
Equipment Required:
1
x ± 1 L old fashioned, glass, canned
fruit bottle with a screw-on lid.
Ingredients:
|
|
|
|
Large, heavy, thin peel
lemons
|
6
|
|
Salt
|
250
ml
|
|
|
|
|
Whole black pepper corns
|
5
ml
|
|
Cinnamon sticks or Cassia
bark pieces
|
2
/ 5
|
|
Green cardamom seeds,
crushed
|
5
|
|
Bay leaves
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial lemon juice
|
±
250 ml
|
Method:
1.
Sterilize the bottle: Fill the bottle to the top with boiling water and
set aside for 3 – 5 minutes. Pour out the water and turn upside down until
needed.
2. Scrub the lemons thoroughly
under cold, running water without damaging the outer peel.
3. Cut each lemon lengthwise into
quarters. It is not necessary to remove the pips.
4. Put a layer of salt in the
bottom of the bottle. Pack a layer of lemon quarters tightly on top. Add a
cinnamon stick, a bay leaf, a cardamom seed and a few pepper corns on top of the
fruit. Sprinkle a layer of salt over this arrangement. Repeat the process until
the bottle is filled. Add a thick layer of salt over the top lemon quarter layer.
5. Squeeze the juice of the
remaining lemon quarters directly into the bottle to fill it to the very top.
Supplement the fresh lemon juice with commercial juice, if necessary.
6. Add the lid and tighten very
well. Turn the filled bottle upside down a few times to mix all the ingredients
properly.
7. Put aside (preferably away from
direct sunlight) in a quiet nook of your kitchen – where you can see the bottle
daily – for about 4 weeks.
8. To use: Carefully remove a
quarter from the brine – the peel softens dramatically during the preservation
process. Using a teaspoon, scrape the fruit pulp away from the peel and discard
the pulp. Rinse the wedge of peel thoroughly in cold, running water. Chop as
required and transfer to a heat proof bowl. Liberally add boiling water. Let it
stand for ± 15 minutes to leach the brine.
Comment:
·
I suspect the old style; rough peel lemons (frequently found in
back yards) will require a larger volume of commercial lemon juice, as they are
not exactly renowned for their juice content. It will also have to remain longer
in the brine to break down the bitterness of their peels.
© RS Young,
2017
