Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
It is also good made with fresh limes.
Step 2
Scrub lemons well and slice them. Sprinkle the slices generously with salt and leave for at least 24 hours on a large plate set at an angle, or in a colander. They will become soft and limp, and lose their bitterness. Arrange the slices in layers in a glass jar, sprinkling a little paprika between the layers. Cover with olive, nut, or a light vegetable oil.
Step 3
Close the jar tightly. After about 3 weeks the lemons should be ready to eat—soft, mellow, and a beautiful orange color.
Step 4
My mother accidentally discovered a way of speeding the process when left with dozens of lemon wedges which had been used to garnish a large party dish. She put them in the freezing compartment of her refrigerator to keep them until she was ready to pickle them. When she sprinkled the frozen lemons with salt, she found that they shed a large quantity of water and softened in just over an hour. They were ready for eating after only a few days in oil and paprika.
