Until the end of the eighteenth century, salting, drying, storing in oil or under fat were the methods of food preservation. We owe the idea of sterilising it in bottles to a Frenchman, François Nicolas Appert. The quality of his results and their importance in victualling the French navy were recognised with a prize of 12,000 francs, on condition that Appert published his method - which he did in 1810. Ironically it was an Englishman, Bryan Donkin, who had the bright idea of adapting the method to tin cans. Food preservation has come a long way since Appert grew his own tiny peas to be sure of their perfect freshness when he processed them. Now the freezer is supreme, and canners are returning to glass for their classier products. Anyone who has ever seen a jar of Italian antipasto pickles will know how irresistibly beautiful such things can be. The simpler preserves which follow have been chosen with this in mind.

Moroccan pickled lemons

Here is a simple way of preserving them from Edible Gifts by Claire Clifton and Martina Nicholls. Take enough lemons or limes (or a mixture) to fill a bottling jar right up to its neck. Stick each one with six cloves: If you find it difficult pushing them in, make small holes first with a wooden skewer, but don't overdo it or the cloves will fall out. Pack the lemons into the jar.

If you are most likely to be using them with fish or salads, pour groundnut oil over to cover them. A few slices put into and on to fish baked in foil, with a little of the liquid from the jar to prevent the fish sticking, makes a good flavour.

If you want the true North African flavour, and you like pickled lemons with lamb or chicken in Moroccan style (see following recipe), cover the lemons with white wine vinegar. Close the jar and store in cool darkness. The lemons now need 3 or 4 weeks to mature. Make sure they remain covered with oil or vinegar. This can be done by topping up, or by keeping the lemons down with crossed batons cut from wooden skewers - it is fiddly getting them exactly the right length to be pushed down under the narrowing neck without breakage, but it is a trick worth knowing for dealing with many other kinds of preserves as well.

Tajine

The are several versions of this kind of dish, the meat cooked with onions and spices, and finished with black olives and pickled lemons. Unless you are used to North African flavours, you would be wise to start with very little cumin and cinnamon, the lightest hint of coriander. To make a creamier sauce, increase the onion by up to three times. Notice that the meat is not browned.

2-2kg chicken or 1-2kg boned shoulder of lamb, trimmed of fat
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
level tsp ginger
level tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
level tsp paprika
salt, pepper
2cm piece cinnamon stick
175g/6oz sliced onion
8tbsp olive oil
generous pinch saffron
2 tbsp each chopped parsley and fresh coriander leaves
2 pickled lemons or limes
175g/6oz black olives
juice of a large lemon

Put chicken or lamb into a dish. Mix next 4 ingredients with salt and pepper and rub into the meat. Cover and leave for 12 hours or overnight.

In a pan that fits the chicken or lamb closely, put the cinnamon stick, onion, olive oil and saffron. Lay the meat on top with any juices that may have emerged. Chicken should be breast up. Add water barely to cover chicken legs, or the lamb. Cover and simmer until the meat leaves the bones, or is very tender. Remove meat and keep warm. Add parsley and half the coriander to the sauce and boil hard to reduce to a moist purée. For our tastes, you may like to pour off surplus fat. Taste for seasoning, and add some or all of remaining coriander. Meanwhile, cut lemons or limes into wedges, and simmer the olives in a little water to reduce saltiness. Reheat meat in the sauce with the wedges and drained olives for 10 minutes. Put meat into a dish, pour over lemon juice and then the sauce. Serve very hot with boiled rice.