Butter Bean Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get around to making this Butter Bean Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette. I had something similar to it last Spring at the Fremont Diner and I absolutely loved it. I’ve bought the various ingredients many times in the past year or so, but it seems like I can never keep them all in the house at the same time. First I buy the fennel and then use it up roasting it with tomatoes and garlic for a quick pasta dish. Then I buy beets but use them up for salad or bruschetta. Then I buy beans but end up making them into basil bean spread. What can I say? Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of why something is in your fridge. But I finally made this Butter Bean Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette and I’m so glad that I did. Since I finally held the initial salad together, we’ve had it multiple times. And each time I make it, I’m as grateful for the leftovers and I am for the salad itself, which is saying something, because too many salads make terrible leftovers. I grilled some sweet Italian chicken … Continue reading

Preserved Lemons

Choose your preserving jar. I used a 1 liter Weck cylinder. This recipe is easy to adjust and very flexible but make sure you buy enough lemons to fill your jar and then adjust the quantities accordingly. 8 meyer lemons (you can use orange, regular lemons, limes, grapefruit) 1/4 cup sea salt 1 cinnamon stick (bruise it to release maximum flavor) 2-3 bay leaves juice of one lemon Scald your jar. Sprinkle some of the salt in the bottom of the jar. Wash and check the lemons for wax. Quarter the lemon but leave the wedges attached at one end. Sprinkle some of the salt into the quartered lemon. Layer the lemons, cinnamon, bay leaves and salt. Add the juice. Add enough boiling water to cover the lemons. Seal the jar. They can be stored at room temperature and need at least two weeks before the skins soften. One they’re opened, store in the refrigerator. Use them for stews and chicken dishes and of course, Artichoke and Preserved Lemon Soup. … Continue reading