When I lived in Seattle, I had a chef friend who on slow Sundays would invite me to the restaurant while he developed new dishes. The restaurant was near the Pike Place Market, and on clear afternoons the sun shone from the west, glinting off of Puget Sound, illuminating and warming the timbers in the restaurant. I would get tipsy on prosecco or minerally white wine, and taste the nascent dishes. I only remember one thing I tried, but it made such a strong impression on me that I think about it still. Buttery yellowtail sashimi, studded with finely-sliced tiny golden pinwheels, crunchy flakes of salt, dots of basil purée, and extra virgin olive oil. It was the little iridescent pinwheels that threw me. They were deeply tangy, salty, and aromatic, with a concentrated, citrusy flavour that threw the taste of the rich fatty fish into relief. “What is this?” I asked. “Preserved kumquats,” he said.
It took me years to get around to preserving my own kumquats. I experimented with making sashimi with finely chopped preserved lemon rind, grapefruit segments, and blood orange. All delicious, but not quite the striking contrast I remembered. Finally, a month or two ago, I finally preserved my own kumquats. I adore preserved lemon, but preserved kumquats have a flavour that is at once cleaner, more subtle, and more pungent. I’m not saying I like them better for everything, but for some things – sashimi, for example, and some salads – they’re extraordinary. The rind is thin and delicate, and you can use the whole fruit, both pulp and rind, in your recipes.
I followed this recipe from Vanilla Garlic, but the process is so simple very little “recipe” is needed. The kumquats are preserved in salt – a lot of salt – and lemon juice, and whatever else you feel like adding for flavour. After about two weeks, they’re ready to use. They only improve the longer they sit around. 
You will need:
For each one-pint (half-liter) jar:
Approximately 100-150 grams (about ¼ pound) of kumquats
About 1/3 – ½ cup salt
Juice of two to three lemons
Fresh herbs or other flavouring, e.g., thyme, bay leaves, cumin seeds, peppercorns, etc. (I used some sprigs of fresh thyme)
Method:
Scrub the kumquats well under running water and rub off the little green tips at the ends. With a sharp knife, cut an incision into each kumquat to a depth of about 1/3 of the kumquat. The larger kumquats can be incised with a criss-cross. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of salt into the bottom of each jar. Using your fingers, stuff each kumquat with a generous amount of salt. Layer the kumquats into the jar, sprinkling additional salt between the layers, and squashing them down firmly as you go. If you’re using fresh herbs, you can layer these with the kumquats.
Continue this process until the kumquats are about an inch from the top of the jar, then pour in the lemon juice to cover, and top with a little more salt. Close the jar firmly, tip it back and forth, and let sit at room temperature for about 48 hours. Then put it in your fridge to pickle. For the first ten days, flip the jar from top to bottom about once a day, then do it when you remember.
In two weeks time, your kumquats will be ready to use. Just pick them out of the jar, rinse off the excess salt, if necessary, and use as you would preserved lemons. 
And … some preserved kumquat recipes. Get pickling!
Pomegranate and Basil Marinated Beetroot with Preserved Kumquat and Pistachios
Susan eats London 
These sound great and would make a wonderful gift. GG
Thank you GG! You’re right, they would be a nice gift. An idea to sock away for the future… 🙂
I have a present for you if you like kumquats. This post is my favourite post of yours (spesh the pics!) I’m sitting in Seattle sunshine eating sashimi, sipping prosecco.. sublime!
Presents! Ooohhh!!!! I love presents! For a second I thought you meant you were really in Seattle (I just woke up). We will have to eat sashimi and drink prosecco there together! XX
What a brilliant idea. I never know what to do with those darned things. Great pics, too, Susan.
Thanks Michelle. Kumquats are challenging. I am prone to buying them, being struck with a distinct lack of inspiration, and then guiltily throwing them away when they get soft. It seems like the default option is generally marmalade. And, er, poultry dishes? Like duck au kumquat?
Would you believe that I have never eaten a kumquat – preserved, fresh, or otherwise. Am intrigued…
Renee, I think that the first time I tried kumquats was courtesy of that chef. It’s all a question of circumstance, exposure, and serendipity. 🙂
I’ve never heard of preserved salted kumquats – or lemons for that matter – so I’m eagerly awaiting your next post to see what to do with them!
🙂
Preserved lemons are a staple ingredient in Moroccan cooking. You can find them in specialty food stores and probably Whole Foods. They’re GORGEOUS.
This is brilliant, Susan! I have had kumquats in my fridge for a couple of weeks. I’m not even sure if it’s any good. If it is, I’ll be using them for this.
daisy
Wonderful! I look forward to reading about the creative ways that you use them! X
Ohh. Gotta try this one. Thanks.
😀
Great! Let me know if you do! Thanks for stopping by, and for the comment.
I recently made a few pints of preserved Meyer lemons and would be more than willing to try my hand with kumquats — if I could fine them here. I have seen them, though, and will probably spend a good part of the day trying to remember where. Your “recipe” couldn’t be easier and I’m looking forward, Susan, to reading how you use them. Thanks for sharing.
Oh! Your photos are really something!
Thank you John! I love Meyer lemons but can’t find them here in London. Preserved Meyer lemons sound wonderful. I’m sure you can find kumquats in Asian grocers and possibly Whole Foods. They’re such a funny, fussy fruit that it doesn’t particularly surprise me they’re not widely sold.
I’ve never had kumquats before… they sound delicious!
🙂
I find them a bit challenging on their own, as they’re a bit bitter, but they’re great for marmalades, pickles, stews, etc.
There are two types of kumquats – sweet and sour. The sour ones are oval shaped, and probably what was used in this recipe (by the looks). The sweet ones are round-shaped, like baby oranges. When ripe, eating the peel is almost like eating candied orange peel, without the added sugar. The most common sweet one available is called “Meiwa”. Don’t know too much about the sour ones, as I tend to avoid them. I will be trying this with a handful of the sweet ones that are still a little green, thus tart, that my mother gifted me this past weekend.
Thank you Kathy — I’ve learned something. I only am familiar with the sour type of kumquats (which I usually buy in Asian supermarkets). I’ll look for the sweet ones — I’m definitely intrigued!
Susan
Pingback: {Les autres agrumes} Kumquats confits au sel | Tortore
Pingback: Corvina with Preserved Kumquats & Sorrel | Juris Epicurus
Pingback: June 17 | Robin Powell