A confession about this recipe, I hated pickled lemons as a kid. They looked weird and smelled even stranger to me.

You want me to eat the whole lemon?? Rind included? That’s just weird.

This coming from a kid who loved liver, btw.

Notice, I didn’t mention much about their taste. 

That’s because I was such an ass about it that I refused to even try them. In hindsight, was the biggest disservice I could have done to myself. They are freaking delicious and compliment just about any meal or snack.

This recipe hails from my Egyptian roots and has tremendous digestive and immunity benefits. My peeps way back when would say that Black Seeds (aka Nigella Sativa) could cure anything but death.

What you need:
Meyers Lemons
Kosher Salt
Saffron Leaves
Black Seeds
Mason Jar

What to do:
Boil the lemons until soft.
Let them cool & save the water.
Slice the lemons in halves but do not cut them all the way, think creating ‘pockets’.
Stuff them with a sprinkle of sea salt, saffron leaves and black seeds, followed by tossing them into a mason jar.
Juice one lemon into the jar over the mountain of yellow you’ve created.
Fill the jar with water from the boil all the way to the tippy top.
Cover the jar with saran wrap, then seal it shut with the lid.
Let them sit for about 3-4 weeks, this does not need to be refrigerated.
The color of the water will start to turn and the lemons with become ever so slightly soft.
You can eat them as soon as 4 weeks but the longer you leave them the better they taste.

Notes
After you break the seal from the initial 4 weeks, I recommend refrigeration.
“Black Seeds” can be difficult to find and sometimes are called Nigella sativa or Fennel Flower Seeds. Your best bet if you aren’t sure that your store will carry it is to order them on Amazon.