Lime Pickles.

Organic limes on sale, a passing glance at a recipe in a cookbook, a sudden desire to play with salt. 

Maybe it's a retaliation for all the tooth-achingly sweet overload of the holidays, but I'll take a mouth-puckeringly sour pickle in an instant these days. Can't get enough cornichons. In fact, I am starting to salivate just thinking about it.

I've fallen onto this fad roughly 150 years too late, plus or minus a decade or so. Lime pickles have had their heyday come and go, and have quite an illustrious literary pedigree to show for it, featuring in Little Women (chapter 7, apparently).

I have no recollection of even wondering what lime pickles were while I was reading Little Women in 7th grade. I guess I was not inquisitive enough about citrus. I did get an A on the book report. And I do like a good pickle.

Lime Pickles.
Modified from Nigella Lawson. Makes about 2 cups of pickles.

 2  large or 3 small limes
1 1/2 cup coarse salt (I used kosher)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds
6 small dried chili peppers
approximately 1 1/2 cups olive oil (not extra virgin) or other neutral oil 

You will also need a 1/2 liter sterilized jar for storing the pickles, and a 9 or 10 inch square non-reactive baking tray or glass container.

Cut the limes into 8 or 12 slices (quartered, then 2 or 3 slices each), depending on the size of your limes, aim for less than a centimeter maximum width of rind on each slice.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup salt on the bottom of your tray, then arrange the limes on the salt in a single layer.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of salt over the limes evenly. They will not be completely covered. Put this in the freezer for a minimum of 12 hours, but longer is fine.

Remove from the freezer after the allotted time and thaw completely. Put the limes and salt in a collander and, using very cold water, rinse all the salt off. Pat the limes dry with a towel.

Arrange the limes in a container that will hold all the slices and has at least an additional inch of space above the uppermost lime.

Starting with 1 cup of oil, mix in the spices and pour over the limes.

Continue to add as much oil as necessary to completely cover the limes. They must be fully submerged or they will mold. Close and store in a dark place for at least 3 weeks before eating, to allow the lime pickles time to absorb the spices.

Comments

[Aubrey]

These pickles seem so foreign to me- something about the salting and oil curing. But intriguing, and so lovely!

[Jammy Chicken]

Thanks Aubrey! They do keep a really lovely green color, and they definitely make a sour pickle.

[Peggy]

OH now I am going to have to read Little Women again... I grew up eating lime pickles but they were not pickled limes but rather pickles which were allowed to soak in lime (powdered stuff used in soil) for approximately 24 hours. It makes for a very crisp sliced pickle... and is a VERY old recipe. I got my recipe from my grandmother who got it from an older neighbor... etc.

Now I am going to have to give this a try especially since we have a child in our family who LOVES limes, anything salty, and sour!!

These look absolutely beautiful!

[Jammy Chicken]

Thanks Peggy! I do love recipes with a history. It's always fascinating to see what passes the test of time and gets handed down.

[Peggy]

I don't recall that chapter either! Lime pickles definitely intrigue me though =)

[Jammy Chicken]

Hi Peggy! The lime pickles are really great - not too salty or too limey. They taste a little like preserved lemon but with a much fresher flavor and a really nice spicy background.