PRESERVED LEMONS

There are plenty of lemons available in the market this time of year. I have been wanting to preserve some, not only because they look pretty in jars, but there are a number of recipes I have been wanting to try that call for them.

My good friend Serge Madikians, owner of Serevan Restaurant in Amenia, New York, makes an amazing Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives that is on the top of my to cook list. 

Check him out on Live From Daryl’s House.com, Episode 21, where he creates this dish for the Plain White T's.   

Of course, the first step is to get some of my own preserved lemons put aside. There are many variations of this recipe as presed lemons are popular in North Africa, the Middle East, and Ind

PRESERVED LEMONS

INGREDIENTS

5 – 6 Lemons, washed and well-dried
plus juice of 2-3 other lemons

½ Cup Kosher Salt, more or less

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Sterilized Canning Jar
(I used a 1/2L French Canning Jar)
 

DIRECTIONS

Place 2 Tablespoons Salt into the bottom of the sterilized jar.

Once lemons are washed and well dried, prepare them one at a time as follows: Cut off the tip and bottom of each lemon, just down to the fruit.

Cut the lemons as if you were going halve them lengthwise, but do not complete the cut. Keep the lemon attached at the base. Make another cut the same way, so the lemon is quartered, but attached at the base.

Hold lemon over canning jar, gently open the lemon and generously sprinkle salt all over the insides, use at least one tablespoon. Do not worry if extra salt falls into jar.

Pack the lemons in the jar, pushing them down so that juice runs. Fill the jar with lemons in this manner. Add more fresh squeezed lemon juice as needed to cover lemons.

Seal the jar and let sit at room temperature for two days, turning the jar upside down occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to jar, place in refrigerator and let sit, again turning upside down occasionally, for at least 3 weeks, until lemon rinds soften.

Preserved lemons can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a year, but you will probably use them up long before that.

To use the preserved lemons, remove rind from jar, remove pulp from rind, wash the rind and chop into small pieces, or as directed by individual recipe. Some people use the pulp for flavorings in soups and sauces.