Description
Preserved lemons are a traditional ingredient widely used in North African and Middle Eastern cuisines. This simple recipe uses lemons and kosher salt to create a tangy, salty condiment perfect for adding depth to tagines, salads, dressings, and marinades. The lemons ferment naturally over time, developing deep flavors with a mellow, complex citrus tang.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 lemons
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
Instructions
- Wash the Lemons: Thoroughly wash your lemons under cold running water to remove any dirt or residues.
- Cut the Lemons: Take 2 to 3 lemons that will fit in your jar and cut an X into the base of each lemon without slicing all the way through.
- Salt the Lemons: Press kosher salt generously into the cuts of each lemon to promote preservation and flavor development.
- Pack the Jar: Place the salted lemons tightly into a clean glass jar, pressing down to release juice and remove air pockets.
- Add Lemon Juice: Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemons, strain out seeds, and pour the juice into the jar until the lemons are fully submerged.
- Store for Fermentation: Seal the jar and store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for at least one week to ferment and develop flavor.
- Refrigerate After Opening: Once opened, keep the jar refrigerated and use within six months for best quality.
Notes
- Use organically grown lemons if possible to avoid pesticide residue since the peel is consumed.
- Ensure lemons are fully submerged in the juice to prevent mold.
- Check periodically and press lemons down if they rise above the juice.
- Preserved lemons become more flavorful the longer they are stored, up to several months.
- When using, rinse or scrape excess salt from the lemon peel if a milder flavor is desired.
