Grilled Salmon with Preserved Lemons

Posted on July 17, 2011 by jkmcintyre

I love me some wild salmon; indicators of healthy ecosystems, beautiful, nutritious, and, did I not mention – tasty.  Wild sockeye is on sale this week at the grocer. Scott brought home a half-trunk piece, gutted but otherwise whole. What to do? First I had to open the fish up so I had something to work with. With a sharp fillet-ish knife, I reached in to the spine and carved a larger cavity.

Preserved lemon, fresh raspberries and dill, sliced onions.


Typically, one would stuff the fish with lemons, at the very least. What I had was homemade preserved lemons. And onions, and fresh raspberries and dill from the garden. I lightly sprinkled the inside of the fish with coarse salt, layered the ingredients, then added a little cracked pepper.

Check out the uber-red flesh!

All wrapped up and ready for the grill

I tied the fish back together with string, and, per Tom Douglas’ suggestion, I lightly coated the fish with olive oil and dusted her with flour before placing her on a hot oiled grill.

I may have had the temp a little high, but after 20 minutes, she was perfection…

Grilled whole salmon with preserved lemons and garden goodies

We had the fish with fresh peas-in-the-pod tossed with buttered new potatoes…a bright and fresh summer meal!

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Preserving Lemons

Posted on July 15, 2011 by jkmcintyre


When I first met our neighbours Brian and Krista they had recently preserved lemons and used them whole, stuffed in a roast chicken. It sounded delectable. It was nearly a year before I finally tried it myself and couldn’t believe I had waited so long.

To make the preserved lemons you will need a sterile quart jar, 4-6 juicy lemons, & about 1/2 c kosher salt. Place 2 T of salt at the bottom of the jar. Wash the lemons well (buy organic if you can; no sense marinating the pesticides). Cut off the extra nubins from each end. Cut the lemons so they are nearly quartered lengthwise, leaving them attached at the base. Now liberally coat the exposed inner surfaces with salt. Place the lemons in the jar and squeeze them down so their juices run. If needed, use extra lemon juice to ensure the lemons are covered in brine.


Place the jar on a shelf at room temperature and wait. Turn the jar upside down periodically over the next several days and then store it in the fridge for a few weeks before use. The rinds will soften, their colour fading, and the smell will sweeten.

The lemons will keep months in the fridge (mine are at 5 months). When you are ready to use the preserved lemons, scoop out the pulp and discard. Rinse the rinds to remove excess brine.

My first use of preserved lemons was (*surprise*) for a roast chicken. I minced the rinds with garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs. I loosened as much skin as I could, from the breast through to the drumsticks (I have small hands!) and distributed the mixture beneath the skin and inside the cavity. The flavour was subtle but heavenly!

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Baby Chickens now 4 Months

Posted on July 14, 2011 by jkmcintyre

At four months, our babies look like small versions of their adult selves. [Watch their progress here and here.]

Calamity Jane, Eugenia, & Roo at 4 months

Calamity Jane, the Dark Brahma, is still the runt, but she is big on personality.  She is bold and assertive with the other chickens, and not shy around humans.  She is the only new chicken that walks right up to you and lets you pick her up. She closes her eyes and snuggles when you pet her.

Eugenia, the Silver-Laced Wyandotte, is reserved and delicate.  She is cartoonishly tall, with long, yellow, knocked-knees.  She is the last to approach for treats.  I don’t know too much about her because she often keeps to herself.

Roo, the Copper-Black Marans, is large, more copper than black, and both bold and skittish. Roo might be a rooster; we are still waiting for ‘him’ to crow.  At 4 months there is a good chance a rooster would have started crowing already, so I reserve some small hope that Roo is a girl; I covet the chocolate brown eggs she would lay.  But every time I see her I am struck by how curly her tail feathers are becoming, how long her neck feathers are growing…

Not sure how long it will take for the hens to start laying.  With our first hens, laying began at 6 months, but they were maturing over winter, which should take a bit longer.  Still, I am guessing it will be another month before we have new eggs to consider.  I had best get busy expanding the nesting boxes!

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It’s beginning to look a lot like garlic

Posted on July 13, 2011 by jkmcintyre

…cloves on every bulb… (Sing Along!…)


Yesterday I dug up the White Rose garlic. I don’t water the garlic well because it is out by the street, beyond the reach of my hose . Resulta: It has been looking rather pathetic. White Rose looked the worst, so up it came. 34 lovely bulbs drying in the sun. The rest of the crop could look worse, so I left it in the ground.

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