Spiced Lemon Pickle
As part of Kitchn’s celebration of all things California, we asked 19 cooks from various disciplines — chefs, photographers, writers — to see what dish they think best embodies California home cooking in 2019. See all the recipes here.
San Francisco Chronicle columnist and cookbook author Nik Sharma selected a spiced lemon pickle recipe to represent modern-day California home cooking for two reasons: the bounty of gorgeous citrus in the Golden State, and the recipe’s celebration of the state’s ever-growing immigrant cuisine.
In his best-selling book Season, Sharma says of the lemon pickle: “In India, pickles are often prepared by preserving vegetables or fruit in mustard oil. Because mustard oil is not sold in America, I’ve created a recipe made with olive oil. The leftover oil is very versatile; it’s wonderful for dipping bread or naan or drizzling over hot pizza, baked fish, or even roasted vegetables.”
Spiced Lemon Pickle
Prep time 10 minutes to 15 minutes
Makes 4 1/2 pounds
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 pounds
lemons, quartered and seeded
- 1/4 cup
fresh lemon juice
- 2/3 cup
fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons
plus 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/4 cup
red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon
plus 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
- 1 tablespoon
cumin seeds
- 4 1/2 cups
extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Combine the lemons, lemon juice, and salt in a clean 3-quart canning jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal and shake to combine. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Combine the peppercorns, red pepper flakes, fenugreek seeds, and cumin seeds in a mortar and crush lightly with a pestle to crack the spices. Transfer the spice mix to the jar, and add the olive oil. Seal and shake a few times.
Put the jar in a cool, dark place and shake once a day for 1 week before serving. It should resemble the texture of lemon preserves made with salt. The white pith will no longer be white as the salt, oil, and acid will penetrate and make it translucent, but the skin will stay yellow. It will become tender enough that it will fall apart easily when a knife or spoon presses against it.
Store in a cool, dark place at room temperature for up to 1 month. Or store the pickle in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Let the cold pickle sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to warm before using.
Recipe Notes
Using smaller jars: You can divide it into smaller jars if needed, just make sure to cover them with enough oil.
Reprinted from Season by Nik Sharma with permission by Chronicle Books, 2018.