My big February project was tackling citrus preserves. I purchased my weight in several varieties of lemons, oranges, and limes (though they were not Spokane-local, they were US grown—there are some fruits that don’t grow well in our region and I love citrus, but I did wait for crops grown in California rather than Mexico) and got busy.

I have preserved citrus before, but never in this quantity. After much zesting, juicing, supreming, infusing, drying, boiling, and processing, I have quite a healthy citrus section in the pantry. I spread the work out so it was manageable, sometimes working on several tasks in one day, other days I just focused on getting one project finished after work. For the results, I didn't feel like I did that much work.

Here’s what I accomplished (pictured above) and how I plan on using some of it.

Back row, left to right:
Lime Curd—perhaps my new favorite curd. So far we’re enjoying it stirred into plain yogurt, or eaten with a spoon. I have plans to use it as scone topping, baking it on top of shortbread, and using it for a tart.

Triple Sec—home-infused Triple Sec, from Mrs. Wheelbarrow, is delicious—much better than it’s store-shelf counter part. It is not overly sweet and tastes of fresh oranges.

Lemon Vodka—I’ve never made citrus vodka, and after the two weeks of infusing (the suggested time), I was not happy with the results, so I let it sit longer. After two more weeks, it’s great. Lemon Drops, here I come!

Orange Vodka—The story with this is the same as the lemon. Paired with some of our cocktail cherries (and their juice) from this summer, it will be delightful.

Orange-Meyer Lemon Marmalade—I am not a huge fan of marmalade; it tends to be too bitter for my taste, but I thought I ought to give making my own a try. I started this batch by reading all of the marmalade recipes I could get my hands on, then (while still safely canning) made my own version. I used boiled zest, but no pith, and substituted the boiling water (which contains citrus flavor, but also becomes fairly bitter) with fresh-squeezed orange juice and filtered water. This batch passed the test!

Satsuma Syrup—based on a recipe from The Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking, I adjusted for the amount of juice I had and the flavor I wanted. This syrup is beautifully clean and quite tasty. I plan on adding it to seltzer and iced tea in the summer, using it in cocktails, and even as a marinade or dipping sauce.

Fresh-squeezed lemon juice—I had lemons left over that were starting to look sad, so I juiced them. This bottle is in the refrigerator and will be used in the next couple of weeks for many different things. Another option is to freeze spare lemon juice in an ice cube try; it will keep frozen for quite a while. When you need some lemon juice, pop a cube out and let it thaw.

Front row, left to right:
Trio of citrus salts (orange, lemon, and lime)—Simply add zest to kosher salt (about 1 ½ tablespoons of zest per ½ cup of salt), dry it in a very low oven, and give it a whiz in a food processor. We’ll use this salt to season meat and roasted veggies. The lime salt would be great as a rimming salt for margaritas!

Satsuma orange powder—A new one for me and an adaptation from Pen & Fork. The powder tastes like super concentrated, fresh Satsumas and will pair well with both savory and sweet recipes. We’re planning on using it in ice cream and sauces, as well as marinades and spice rubs.

Salt-preserved Meyer Lemons—We saw salt-preserved lemons in several markets in France this winter, and I was intrigued. I don’t know what they’ll be like, but I’m willing to try them. I’m thinking I’ll use them in savory dishes and sauces that need a big citrus punch.

Cranberry-Meyer Lemon Jelly—For the first time in my preserving history, my jelly didn’t fully set. Sigh. It looks and tastes lovely, but has a consistency somewhere between jelly and thick syrup. This will be one that is not given to friends, but enjoyed in yogurt and ice cream at home.

Lemon Curd—I made this curd from regular, bright, tart lemons, not Meyer lemons. I like curd that has a clear citrus tang and Meyers don’t fulfill that need. This lemon curd is perhaps my favorite and comes from So Easy to Preserve by the University of Georgia’s National Center for Home Preservation. Not only is it delicious, it is a truly trustworthy canning recipe.

(Missing from the photo: a few jars of curd that have been consumed or given to friends).

What’s your favorite way to use citrus?
 

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