Cured Lemon

This recipes is from Tomas Keller. He made these preserved lemons at the 2010 Food & Wine Classic at Aspen.

ingredients:
8 lemons (3 to 4 ounces each) - scrubbed
1-3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt

directions:
1. Cut 1/2 inch from one end of a lemon, leaving you with the nicest, widest portion. Slice the lemon into 1/8-inch rounds, removing the seeds as you go and stopping 1/2 inch from the end. Repeat with the remaining lemons.

2. Combine the sugar and the salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle just under 1/2 inch of the sugar mixture in the bottom of a 6x6 inch storage container. Arrange a row of slightly overlapping lemon slices on top and top with a layer of the sugar mixture that just covers the lemon slices completely. As you layer the lemons, the goal is to have enough of the sugar mixture evenly distributed on the slices so that when it dissolves, all of the lemon slices will be covered with the liquid. (It is better to use too much sugar and salt, than too little, because an exposed areas of lemon can mold.) Continue the process, alternating the lemon slices and sugar mixture and ending with a layer of the sugar mixture on top.

3. Put the id on the container and wrap the container tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the lemons for at least 2 weeks, or for up to 1 month.

makes about 125 slices.