Lemon Infused Oil
Quite expensive to buy yet super easy to make. This recipe makes 250ml and I absolutely adore it. I use lemon oil in home made pesto, salad dressings and also in some of my eco-friendly cleaning recipes – furniture polish and leather treatment. It takes two weeks to be completely ready to use and once transferred into bottles will last three months in the fridge. Little bottles of Lemon Oil make excellent gifts. This recipe uses only the zests of five lemons so as an aside and as part of this recipe I have included additional information for making excellent use of the juice and spent lemon halves.
Ingredients
For the Oil
5-6 Lemons (washed and dried)
250ml Oil (Olive, Grapeseed, Rapeseed Oil) – use Vegetable or Sunflower if that is all you have.
500ml Jar with a screw top
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Preparation
Using a potato peeler strip the rind from the lemons and place in bowl, one that will take a pan lid over the top.
Top off with the oil then place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, pop the lid on the zests and oil and leave to simmer for two hours. Don’t allow the oil to boil, you need to see just the odd bubble coming to the surface.
After the two hours transfer the warm oil and lemon zests into a warm jar with a screw top and place on a light window sill for two weeks. Every morning shake the jar.
After the two weeks strain your delicious oil through a sieve and discard the rinds. Transfer the infused oil into neat bottles and store in the fridge.
Infused oil is not to be confused with lemon essential oil which is much stronger, not safe to eat and is produced by distilling.
What to do with the rest of the lemons.
Natural Room Freshener
Cut the lemons in half and extract as much juice as possible.
To make a super fresh smelling room freshener use 25ml Lemon Juice (I passed it through a tea strainer to extract any fruit pulp) and pour into a spray bottle, add 20 drops lemon essential oil and 150ml Boiled water. Give the bottle a shake, screw on a spray nozzle and away you go. I spray it onto pet bedding too.
Natural Fridge Odour Neutraliser
If ever you have gone to the fridge and realised that you have stores something in there that has left an odour – your lemon juice leftovers will see to that.
Take a small ramekin dish and a piece of sponge and pour enough lemon juice over to completely soak the sponge. Pop it into the fridge and the odour will disappear.
Kettle Descaler
You have used the zests and juice from your lemons but you are not done yet. Pop 6 spent lemon halves into your kettle, cover with water and boil up. Leave overnight then boil up again then discard the water. Your kettle will be good as new.
Any water marks on the outside of your kettle can be rubbed off using a lemon half before you pop it into the kettle to boil.
Dishwasher clean and freshen up
Pop two lemon halves into the dishwasher on the top rack either on their own or with a full load. Make sure you have removed the pips first otherwise they will end up in the filter. Your lemons will freshen up the dishwasher and brighten up any glassware.
Tap spouts
Last but not least – your remaining two lemon halves can be secured onto the spouts of your kitchen or bathroom taps with elastic bands to dissolve any limescale build up. Leave overnight if you can and next morning they will be sparkly clean too. !
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