Preserved Lemons with Coriander and Honey

Last year for my birthday Coen gave me a copy of Greg Malouf's book Arabesque: Modern Middle Eastern Food. It is a beautiful book full of inspirational food. As lemons are in season and my tree is loaded, I decided to try this recipe from the book. I am keen to find out what difference it makes by adding honey as well as the fact that the preserved lemons are cooked for a few minutes. 

Preserved Lemons with Coriander and Honey

Wash and dry 1.5 kg thin-skinned lemons (or limes if you choose). Cut them into six equal portions.
Place them in a plastic bag in the freezer for 24 hours. This dramatically speeds up the maturing process. Thaw the lemons, lightly crushed the coriander seeds in a mortar and pestle. Arrange the lemon slices neatly in a jar, sprinkling each layer with around a heaped teaspoon of salt and some coriander as you go. Place 2 cinnamon sticks into the jar with 2 lemon leaves or bay leaves. I used one cinnamon stick and a piece of cassia bark. Mix together 2 tablespoons honey, 250 ml lemon juice and a little boiling water until the honey dissolves. Pour into the jar to completely cover the lemons. Top up with water if the liquid does not cover the lemons. Screw on the lid and put the jar into a large pot on top of a piece of cardboard (this will stops the jars vibrating). Pour in enough warm water to come halfway up the sides of the jar and slowly bring it to the boil. Boil for 6 minutes, then remove from the heat. Lift the jar out of the water and store in a cool, dry place for at least a month before opening. Once opened, keep refrigerated.

There are lots of ways you can use up the lemons, I like to add them to a salad or a bowl of hummus.
Finley sliced and added to butter it makes a beautiful addition to a roast chicken if you place the mixture under the skin of the breast of the chicken before roasting.