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      Preserved Lemons

      July 6, 2010

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      Preserved lemons remind me of places I’ve yet to visit: Tunisia, Morocco, North Africa, Turkey, and some I’ve already visited: Greece, and France.  Primarily known as a condiment used in North African cooking, preserved lemons, or variations of them, are used in many other cuisines.  They appear in Greek, Turkish, Cambodian and even East African cooking, and pickled limes are part of the Indian larder.  I find them wholly exotic in flavor.  The salty, mouth-puckering lemony flavor is a taste experience so unusual to my American taste buds.  It was when I first ate them, and it still is.  I have always loved lemons and lemony things, and when I first ate the rind of a preserved lemon I was most pleased.  I honestly don’t know where or when I first tasted them — it could have been in France in some North African dish, it might have been when I worked at Oakville Grocery, a fancy food emporium in San Francisco.  Or maybe it was in both instances.  Where ever it was I was hooked.  There are many ways to eat them, and to cook with them.  I like to eat them as a type of pickle with chicken, fish or even meat dishes.  Cutting off a bit with each mouthful they add a depth of  lemony deliciousness to any meal.

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      I have wanted to make them at home for sometime now and recently had a few organic lemons leftover from another recipe.  Those lemons are now becoming preserved lemons.  It takes about three to four weeks for the curing process to be complete.  I also hope to use them in a recipe I am working on using Arctic Char sent to me by i love blue sea - a mail order sustainable fish operation.  If all goes well, I’ll soon have a recipe for Arctic Char with Roasted Artichokes, Cannellini Beans and Preserved Lemons.  If the recipe works I’ll share it here.

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      In the meantime, here’s a recipe for preserved lemons.

      Preserved Lemons

      Adapted from ‘The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen’ by Paul Wolfert

      Preparation Time

      45 minutes

      Ingredients

      10 ripe Meyer, or organic lemons

      1/2 cup coarse salt, Kosher salt may be used

      Extra virgin olive oil

      Method

      Scrub 6 of the lemons and dry well.  Quarter the 6 lemons cutting from the top to 1/2 inch from the bottom leaving them intact at the base.  Open the lemons gently and sprinkle salt on the exposed inner flesh, then reshape the fruit.  Toss with the remaining salt and pack into a 3-4 cup dry, sterile Mason jar with a glass or plastic-coated lid.

      With a wooden spoon, gently push down the lemons.  Squeeze the juice from the remaining 4 lemons and pour into the jar.  Close the jar tightly and let the lemons ripen at room temperature for 30 days, shaking the jar each day to redistribute the salt and juice.  (Within a few days the salt will draw out enough juice to completely cover the lemons.)

      For longer storage, add olive oil and refrigerate for up to 1 year.  Rinse the lemons before using.

      Note: you may add spices like cloves, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, bay leaf or chiles to the lemons for an added layer of flavor.  I would do so sparingly the first time.  You may adjust the quantity in the next go around.

      Print Recipe

      Bon appétit!

      Recommendation:  Let Me Cook For You ~ for my Marin County, and Bay Area readers.  My sister, Traci Thompson, has started a personal cooking service.  She’ll devise menus, do the shopping, come to your house, and cook for you and your family.  She’s an amazing cook and prepares ‘healthy homemade meals for everyone’.

      Coming Up: International Food Bloggers Conference (IFBC), August 27 – 29, 2010, Seattle Washington.  So much fun last year that I’ll be attending again this year.  Are you?

      Upcoming Posts: Cochon 555 Napa, a write up of the amazing pork festival that I attended this spring. Cookbook Reviews: Steak and Friends: At Home with Rick Tramonto by Rick Tramonto, Spice Dreams by Sara Engram and Katie Luber, Cider Beans, Wild Greens, and Dandelion Jelly by Joan E. Aller.

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      11 Comments on “Preserved Lemons”

      1. Kristen says:
        July 6, 2010 at 3:25 pm

        you are so right about the American palate, preserved salty lemons are just the thing to jolt anyone from the usual into the exotic. I cannot wait for the upcoming recipes!

      2. Kristen says:
        July 6, 2010 at 3:30 pm

        This is something that I am forever going to try, but never quite get around to. Then I want some and don’t have them. It is a vicious circle. Hopefully this post will get me moving! I love preserved lemons.

      3. Cortne says:
        July 6, 2010 at 3:34 pm

        I just read a recipe from Thomas Keller for cured lemons and I was about to try that out but I think preserved lemons sounds just as good, if not better to me. The addition of a fruity olive oil is also extremely tempting.

        Thanks for sharing!

      4. Charles Thompson says:
        July 6, 2010 at 3:40 pm

        Kristen: Thanks! Let me know if you end up making them.

        Cortne: You are welcome. Thanks for reading. Let me know what you decide to do.

      5. robert guerrero says:
        July 6, 2010 at 4:04 pm

        Can’t wait to taste them! It’s nice to go outside your normal palate to discover new dishes/recipes.

      6. Charles Thompson says:
        July 6, 2010 at 4:23 pm

        Robert: Ready in 3-4 weeks. :-)

      7. Cathy/ShowFoodChef says:
        July 6, 2010 at 7:06 pm

        This is JUST what I needed. I’ll be trying this tomorrow. Love it!

      8. Blanche says:
        July 7, 2010 at 8:10 am

        Reading this just makes my mouth pucker up and my eyes squint. I can just imagine the tartness of these lemons.

      9. Charles Thompson says:
        July 7, 2010 at 4:53 pm

        Cathy: Thanks. Let me know how they turn out.

        Miz DuBois: they’re definitely mouth puckering lemony!

      10. Cooking with Kait says:
        July 7, 2010 at 5:07 pm

        What a wonderful idea. I hope they turn out well because I am really looking forward to the Arctic Char with Roasted Artichokes and Cannellini Beans and Preserved Lemons recipes.

      11. Charles Thompson says:
        July 7, 2010 at 5:10 pm

        Thanks, Kait! I plan to test and write the Arctic Char recipes this weekend!

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