A Jar of Sunshine for the Spring Kitchen

Spring cooking in Britain is an exercise in patience and reward. The purple sprouting broccoli arrives, then the asparagus, then the first proper bunches of parsley, dill and chives with some life in them. Lemons, shipped in but at their best and cheapest now, sit alongside. It is the perfect moment to make a jar or two of preserved lemons and soft herb oil — a small kitchen project that pays you back for months.

Neither of these is complicated. You need clean jars, decent oil, and half an hour. What you get is a fragrant, salty, sunshine-bright ingredient that lifts dressings, marinades and warm grains out of the ordinary. Think of it as bottling the best of the season while it lasts.

Choosing Lemons and Herbs That Will Carry the Flavour

Start with unwaxed lemons if you can find them, or scrub waxed ones thoroughly in warm water with a little bicarbonate of soda and dry them well. The skin is the whole point here, so it needs to be clean and unblemished. Thin-skinned lemons — the ones that feel heavy for their size — give the best results.

For herbs, soft-leaved varieties work best: flat-leaf parsley, chervil, dill, tarragon, chives, mint, lovage and the first wild garlic of the year. Basil is delicious but turns bitter and blackens quickly, so use it fresh or blanch it first. Avoid woody herbs like rosemary and thyme for this method; they are better steeped slowly in warm oil and strained.

• Roughly 60g of picked soft herb leaves to 150ml of oil
• Two to three lemons per 500ml jar
• Cold-pressed British rapeseed oil for herb oil — peppery and green
• Mild olive oil for lemons, where the fruit should lead

The Soft Herb Oil: Brightness That Lasts

Wash your herbs, then dry them properly. This matters more than anything else — water in the jar is what turns a beautiful green oil grey and sour within a week. Spin them in a salad spinner, then roll them in a clean tea towel and leave them for twenty minutes.

For the brightest colour, blanch the leaves for ten seconds in boiling water, then plunge them straight into iced water. Squeeze them dry in a cloth, then blitz with the oil in a small processor or with a stick blender for about a minute, until you have a loose green purée. Let it sit for an hour, then strain through a fine sieve or a piece of muslin if you want a clear oil, or leave it unstrained for a spoonable, pesto-like texture.

Add a good pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Pour into a small sterilised jar, seal, and refrigerate. It keeps for about two weeks.

Preserved Lemons in Oil: Salty, Fragrant, Instantly Useful

This is the quicker cousin of the traditional salt-packed lemons that take a month. Slice your lemons thinly — a mandoline is ideal, but a sharp knife and a steady hand will do — and layer them in a bowl with fine sea salt, using about two teaspoons per lemon. Leave them covered at room temperature for four to six hours, or overnight. The salt draws out the juice and softens the peel.

Pack the slices tightly into a sterilised jar, pressing down as you go, and pour in enough olive oil to cover by at least a centimetre. Add a bay leaf, a few black peppercorns, or a couple of bruised cloves of garlic if you like. Knock the jar on the worktop to release air bubbles, top up the oil again, and seal. Refrigerate.

They are ready in a week and will keep, refrigerated and fully submerged, for up to three months.

Keeping It Safe: The Rules That Matter

Oil is not a preservative in the way salt and acid are. It excludes air, which slows spoilage, but it does not stop everything — and fresh garlic or herbs suspended in oil at room temperature can create conditions for serious bacteria to grow. Treat these jars as a fridge ingredient, not a pantry one.

• Sterilise jars in a low oven or with boiling water, and dry them fully
• Always keep the contents completely under the oil, topping up after each use
• Store both preserves in the fridge and use within two to three weeks
• Freeze herb oil in ice-cube trays if you cannot use it in time
• Discard anything that fizzes, smells yeasty or shows mould — no exceptions

Ways to Use Them Through the Week

Whisk a spoonful of herb oil with lemon juice, a teaspoon of mustard and a little honey for a dressing that works on everything from new potatoes to bitter spring leaves. Toss it through warm pearl barley or spelt with peas, mint and crumbled feta for a lunch that travels well.

Use the preserved lemons chopped fine in a marinade for chicken thighs or halloumi, or stirred through yoghurt with garlic as a dip for roasted asparagus. A spoonful folded into a grain salad, or scattered over purple sprouting broccoli straight from the pan, adds a salty, aromatic edge that no fresh lemon quite manages.

Make one jar of each this weekend. By the time the summer vegetables arrive, you will have spring in your fridge, ready to lift whatever you cook.