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Morrocan Preserved Lemons

preserved lemons, sold loose in the souks, are one of the indispensable ingredients of moroccan cooking, used in fragrant lamb and vegetable tagines, recipes for chicken with lemons and olives , and salads. their unique pickled taste and special silken texture cannot be duplicated with fresh lemon or lime juice, despite what some food writers have said. in morocco they are made with a mixture of fragrant-skinned doqq and tart boussera lemons, but i have had excellent luck with american lemons from florida and california. moroccan jews have a slightly different procedure for pickling, which involves the use of olive oil, but this recipe, which includes optional herbs (in the manner of safi), will produce a true moroccan preserved-lemon taste. the important thing in preserving lemons is to be certain they are completely covered with salted lemon juice. with my recipe you can use the lemon juice over and over again. ) use wooden utensils to remove the lemons as needed. sometimes you will see a sort of lacy, white substance clinging to preserved lemons in their jar; it is perfectly harmless, but should be rinsed off for aesthetic reasons just before the lemons are used. preserved lemons are rinsed, in any case, to rid them of their salty taste. cook with both pulps and rinds, if desired. the recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from paula wolfert's book couscous and other good food from morocco.

complex8 ingredients18 preparation steps
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Ingredients

  • lemons
  • salt
  • cinnamon stick
  • cloves
  • coriander seeds
  • black peppercorns
  • bay leaf
  • fresh lemon juice

Preparation

  1. 1if you wish to soften the peel , soak the lemons in lukewarm water for 3 days , changing the water daily
  2. 2quarter the lemons from the top to within 1 / 2 inch of the bottom , sprinkle salt on the exposed flesh , then reshape the fruit
  3. 3place 1 tablespoon salt on the bottom of the mason jar
  4. 4pack in the lemons and push them down , adding more salt , and the optional spices between layers
  5. 5press the lemons down to release their juices and to make room for the remaining lemons
  6. 6leave some air space before sealing the jar
  7. 7let the lemons ripen in a warm place , shaking the jar each day to distribute the salt and juice
  8. 8let ripen for 30 days
  9. 9to use , rinse the lemons , as needed , under running water , removing and discarding the pulp , if desired and there is no need to refrigerate after opening
  10. 10preserved lemons will keep up to a year , and the pickling juice can be used two or three times over the course of a year
  11. 11according to the late michael field , the best way to extract the maximum amount of juice from a lemon is to boil it in water for 2 or 3 minutes and allow it to cool before squeezing
  12. 12paula wolfert shares her
  13. 13located on morocco's atlantic coast , south of casablanca and north of essaouira , the city of safi is known for its seafood specialties
  14. 14to most closely approximate the flavor of moroccan lemons , wolfert recommends meyer lemons for this recipe
  15. 15this lemon / mandarin orange hybrid , in season in january and february , has yellow-orange flesh , a smooth rind , and a sweeter flavor than other lemons
  16. 16to sterilize a mason jar for the lemons , place it upside down in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes
  17. 17using tongs , remove the hot jar and dry it upside down on a paper towel-lined baking sheet in a warm oven
  18. 18to sterilize the jar's top , boil it in water for 5 minutes , then remove with tongs