Come the cold weather these are just the thing for tagines and stews

Makes 5 x 250ml jars
330ml white wine vinegar
350ml water
150g caster sugar
1⁄2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
5 bay leaves
5 sprigs of rosemary, leaves stripped
5 large unwaxed lemons

1 Heat the vinegar, water and sugar together in a saucepan over a medium heat and simmer for no more than 2 mins until the sugar has dissolved completely. Add the salt and peppercorns. Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool.
2 Put a bay leaf and the leaves of 1 rosemary sprig into each sterilised jar.
3 Trim the ends off each lemon, then slice the lemons into six or eight rounds, depending on size. Put 1 sliced lemon into each jar.
4 Divide the cooled vinegar mixture between the jars. (If your lemons are on the small side, you may run out of liquid. Top up jars with a splash more vinegar and some boiling water.)
5 Seal the jars and store in a dark cupboard for at least 8–10 days. The lemons will keep for up to 4 months if the jars are unopened. Once opened, keep refrigerated and consume within 4 weeks.

A WORD ON STERILISING
Heat washed and rinsed jars, upside down, in a low oven (130C/Fan 110C/275F is fine) for half an hour. Build in some cooling time before you fill jars, but don’t let them go cold or they’ll crack, on filling. New lids are ideal or for used lids, boil in a pan of water for at least 10 minutes.

Turn to page 100 of September’s The Simple Things for four more preserve and pickle recipes. Adapted from Gatherings by Flora Shedden (Mitchell Beazley).