I can’t remember when I first heard of preserved lemons but I’ve been intrigued by them a long time. So pretty in those glass jars, gleaming with their shiny skins and sparkling juices. Now it seems they pop up everywhere in recipes and dishes. So after a friend told me it’s easy, I finally did it. And he was right!
Simply, preserved lemons are made from a brine of salt, water and lemon juice. That’s all, that’s it. No water bath canning is needed and they will hold in your refrigerator for as long as 6 months or more (I haven’t had mine that long so can’t attest yet to that claim).
And one more thing: how to use them? Typically we know of preserved lemons from Moroccan dishes – their ubiquitous tagines. I had the pleasure of having the real thing in Morocco last year – and it really makes sense using them to bring out the flavors of the exotic fruits and veggies combined with the typical spices and low-budget meats used there. They are also used in Indian and other international dishes as well.
Nowadays, with the interest in cooking, we can pull them out for a variety of uses. And you don’t have to be cooking up a 20-ingredient recipe to be happy you have these available. For example, I add them to most of my fish dishes (after rinsing off accumlated salt). Fried with the fish (or baked) to a golden crispness, the lemons can be consumed right along with the fish. And that extra bit of saltiness only adds to succulence of the fish. Haven’t tried it with calamari yet, but I’m thinking soon….!
I’ve seen recipes for Fettucine with Preserved Lemon and Garlic, Preserved Lemon Hummus, Preserved Lemon Caesar…and the list goes on. I’ve gone through a lot of lemons in my kitchen over the years – so nice to know now that I’ve got some on hand at all times! Find many recipes by web searches and then get inspired to give these a try!
How-To-Do: I used Meyer lemons 
on this first batch. They are more expensive but the skin is thinner and makes them more penetrable for the brine. But regular lemons are more frequently used and work well too. As to quantity, prepare as little or as great an amount as you want – maybe size it to a pretty (sealable) jar you’d like to use. I used about 12 lemons for the very large 1 1/2 quart-sized jar and about 1 1/2 cups salt. You can use a smaller jar if you prefer.
Thoroughly scrub lemons and trim both the stem and nub ends. Cut each lemon in quarters from the top down but stopping just before you reach the bottom. This allows you to open up the lemon to do what’s next: place enough salt (kosher preferred) in the bottom a clear (preferrably sterilized)jar to cover it; then salt the inside of each lemon thoroughly covering all the flesh and drop into the jar.
As you place each layer, sprinkle a bit more salt over the top of each layer as you go. Continue working until you’ve used all the lemons or the jar is full. You can press the lemons down to compact them as you go to provide both more room for lemons and more contact with the salt and developing brine. Add another dose of salt at the top of the last layer. Cover jar (using one that seals completely as jar will be turned frequently).
Keep on counter and turn 2-3 times during the day to keep the briny mixture distributed throughout the lemons. You will notice the liquid increasing and, by the 3rd day, may have enough to cover the lemons. If not, add lemon juice to cover. You can use bottled for this or, as I did, squeeze a few lemons for fresh juice. After a week, refrigerate and turn every once in awhile. This will keep for up to 6 months. The first picture (above) shows my jar of preserved lemons after about 6 weeks, now condensed down to a smaller jar (I’ve used a lot, too). Enjoy your new-found resource!
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