Preserved lemons are a traditional addition to North African and Middle Eastern dishes. They’re easy to make with just salt, lemons, and a few weeks in your refrigerator. Choose organic lemons for this recipe as the rind is the part of the lemon you’ll be using. Meyer lemons are the best choice due to their thinner skin and deeper flavor, but if you can’t find them it’s fine to use regular organic lemons.
How To Use Preserved Lemons
When they’re ready, peel the flesh from the rind, and use the rind finely minced in salad dressings, salsas, relishes, and anywhere you’d like to add a deep tangy flavor. Add them to stir fries or scatter them on vegan cheese and crackers.
What You Need To Make Preserved Lemons
- whole organic lemons
- Kosher salt
- quart size jar with screw-top lid (Ball jar is best
How To Make Preserved Lemons
Start by sterilizing a quart jar with a tight fitting lid by pouring it full of boiling water. Rinse the lid, too, and dry the jar and lid with paper towels.
Add a tablespoon of Kosher salt to the jar. Wash and dry the lemons. Cut them into quarters lengthwise, stopping just short of cutting completely through the lemons.
Add a tablespoon of Kosher salt to the center of each lemon and add each lemon to the jar as they’re salted.
Pack the lemons firmly into the quart jar, pressing down firmly with a spoon or tongs to express juice from the lemons. Keep pressing until the lemons are submerged in the juice. Put the top on the jar, turn it upside down a few times, then refrigerate the lemons for 21 days.
To use the lemons, use a pair of tongs to take a lemon from the jar. Peel the rind from the flesh, and finely mince the rind.
If you are looking for ways to used preserved lemons, take a look at any of Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes. Not only does he feature them in many recipes, if you haven’t discovered his wonderful cookbooks, you’re in for a treat.
Try this salad dressing that uses preserved lemons:
Green Salad with Hazelnut and Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Preserved Lemons
Yield 6-8 preserved lemons
Preserved lemons are a staple in North African and Middle Eastern cuisines. They're easy to make with just salt and lemons.
Ingredients
- 6-8 organic lemons, preferably Meyer lemons
- 1½ cups Kosher salt
Instructions
Prepare the jar and its lid by rinsing them with boiling water. Dry them with paper towels or a very clean dish towel.
Add 1 tablespoon Kosher salt to the bottom of the jar. Wash and dry the lemons. Slice off just the stem end of each lemon, trying not to cut into the flesh of the lemon. Cut each lemon lengthwise into 4 even quarters, stopping just short of cutting completely through the lemon.
You should be able to open up the lemon like a flower. Arrange each lemon on its end that’s still attached, and spoon about 2 tablespoons Kosher salt over the lemon. It’s okay if salt spills out; you’ll add this salt to the jar when all the lemons are cut and salted.
Put each cut and salted lemon into the jar, pressing down quite hard on each lemon so that juice squeezes out. (I use the handle end of a wooden spoon to press the lemons.). Repeat until all the lemons are in the jar. They should be submerged in lemon juice at this point. If not, add enough additional fresh lemon juice until the lemons are submerged. Add any spilled alt that remains from processing the lemons.
Screw the lid on the jar tightly, shake it well, and leave it in the refrigerator for at least 21 days.
To use the preserved lemons, use tongs to take out a lemon, rinse it under clear cool water, and peel off the flesh. The rind is delicious minced and used in dressings, salsas, or relishes.
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