Preserved Lemons

Preserved lemons are an integral part of Moroccan cuisine.  Preserved lemons are basically lemons that have been pickled in salt and their own juices. The peel, pulp, and juice squeezed from the lemons can all be used in dishes such as tagines, soups and stews.

I even had them recently in a salad dressing at an upscale (and definitely not Moroccan) restaurant in Toronto called ByMark, and I've seen them used in cocktail recipes also.

I've never made preserved lemons before but - again - it is one of those things that I've been meaning to make for years. So I am using a recipe from Epicurious created by Paula Wolfert.  No alterations - shocking, I know.

If you are going to make preserved lemons, you need to plan ahead as they require time to "mature" on your counter top for a period of time, and I've seen times that span from 5 to 7 days to a few months.

Meyer lemons are apparently the best to use as they have thin skins and are extremely juicy. Sadly my local grocer did not have Meyer lemons nor even organic ones, so I am using regular run of the mill lemons this time. We shall see!

Thanks to Kevin at Closet Cooking for sharing his experience as a first time preserver of lemons. The tip he gleaned from his research into the recipe was that you could tell the lemons were ready when the pith was no longer white. I'll have to keep an eye for that.

Ingredients:

6 lemons
2/3 cup kosher salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from 5 to 6 additional lemons)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Dry lemons well and cut each into 8 wedges, cutting off any protruding stems or bumps. In a bowl toss wedges with salt and transfer to a glass jar (about 6-cup capacity). Ideally, you want the lemons to be packed very tightly. Compress the lemons as you add them to the jar to release their juices. Add lemon juice and cover jar with a tight-fitting glass lid or plastic-coated lid. Let lemons stand at room temperature 7 days, shaking jar each day to redistribute salt and juice. Add oil to cover lemons and store, covered and chilled, up to 6 months.

Cook's Note:  This recipe took very little time and has turned out to be one of the best adds in my kitchen.  When I don't have fresh lemons in the kitchen and I need lemon for a recipe, I pull these out and slice them really thinly.  The other thing to remember when using them is that they are packed in salt, so rinse them well under warm water and be careful about the amount of added salt you include in a dish that uses the Preserved Lemons.  All in all indispensable for me now.