Preserved Lemons

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If you're making Moroccan food,  you'll want to jar-up some preserved lemons. This requires some patience, but it's worth it! Preserved lemons add fantastic flavor to all sorts of dishes-- from tagines to salads and even savory pastries. They're very easy to put together--the requirement for patience is in the waiting, as they must sit for four to six weeks.

L'Hamb Markad (Preserved Lemons)
from Kitty Morse's recipe in Cooking at the Kasbah
Makes 1 quart

12 or more lemons-- preferably organic Meyers--scrubbed
Sea salt
Fresh lemon juice, as needed

Pat the lemons dry and cut a thin dine-sized piece from both ends of each lemon. Set a lemon on one end and make a vertical cut 3/4 of the way through, leaving the two halves attached at the base. Turn the lemon over and make a second vertical cut at a 90-degree angle to the first, again 3/4 of the way through. Fill each cut with as much salt as it will hold. Place the lemon into the bottom of a sterilized wide-mouth quart glass jar. Repeat with remaining lemons, compressing them into the jar until no space is left and the juice rises to the top. Add fresh lemon juice, if needed, to cover the fruit. Seal and set aside. Do not refrigerate.

More lemons can be added in the following days as the rinds begin to soften. Make sure the lemons are covered with juice at all times--adding more, if needed.

The lemons are ready to use when the rinds are tender, in about 4 to 6 weeks. Refrigerate after opening. Preserved lemons will last up to 6 months in the refrigerator.

To use them, rinse them lightly and discard the seeds.

Note: Sometimes mold will form on the rind if contact with air is made. Remove the mold with a clean utensil and make sure the lemons are always covered with juice.

Comments

[myfrenchkitchen]

I'm so glad I came across this one! I also love preserved lemons and I practically add it to anything and everything....something I cannot do without. I'm looking at your first posts...I want to lessen your "struggle", hie hie...(your meme). Surely this is one of your older proud ones?
ronell

[chris]

in my 'morrocan cookbook' it advises using rock salt - what is the difference? i went miles to find rock salt and it seems no one else uses it!!!