These salt-brined lemons add a sunny, ethereal flavor to salad dressings, roast chicken, and other dishes.

MAKES 1 QUART

• 4 small, thick-skinned lemons, preferably organic (about 340 g/ ¾ pound)
• 3 tbsp kosher or sea salt
• Enough lemon juice to cover the lemons, about 360 ml/1½ cups (from about 8 to 10 lemons)

Sterilize a 1-L/1-qt jar (with a mouth large enough for lemons to fit through the opening) as directed on page 4.

Leaving them intact at the stem end, quarter the lemons lengthwise.

Pack the inside of each lemon with one-fourth of the salt, then pack the lemons into the jar. Using a wooden spoon, gently push down each lemon to pack them as closely as possible. Some juice will be released as you do this.

When the lemons are packed as tightly as possible, cover them with the lemon juice.

Let age 3 weeks to 1 month in a cool, dark place. If you can, turn the jar every few days during this period to redistribute the juices.

To use, remove part of a lemon and rinse briefly. If a white film develops on top of lemons that aren’t completely submerged, just wash it off. Discard the pulp and chop the peel into small pieces.

The lemons will keep for 1 year in a cool, dark place.