Preserved Lemons

One of the best things you can do to keep the shelf life of veggies is through preservation. Kimchi, pickles, and canning fruits or vegetables are a few ways to do this, and each have their own story to tell. But, more specifically, preserved lemons are commonly used in the cuisines of North African countries. I had my first experience with preserved lemons when learning to make a variation of Moroccan tagine. There’s something bright and beautiful about the use of briny-salty lemons in rich stews. Here's how to do it:

Best salt and lemons to use when preserving

You can use fine or coarse sea salt, kosher salt, and even Himalayan salt. Many people like using Meyer lemons (not entirely a true lemon) because of their sweeter, more floral profile. Some will also use the typical Bearss, Lisbon, or Eureka lemons, which are more common to find in grocery stores throughout the U.S.

How to know when preserved lemons are ready

Preserved lemons are ready when the rind has softened and has almost a sort of translucence to it. The bitterness of the rind won't be as prevalent either.

Difference between a quick preserve and a long preserve

If you want to quickly preserve your lemons, you either have to heat the liquid or cut your lemons into small pieces in order for the acid and salt to break down the skin more quickly. For a long preserve, water, lemon juice, and salt are poured over the lemons. They'll then sit for a few weeks or a couple months until they've broken down into a soft, pliable fruit. 

What to make with preserved lemons

Preserved lemons can be used in numerous ways. Some more traditional ways to use them would be in fish, chicken, or stewed lamb or beef dishes with potatoes, chickpeas, olives, couscous, and warm spices. But you can certainly use them in other ways. 

Here are some ideas:

- Add minced preserved lemons to the base of a vinaigrette or creamy dressing.

- Dare I say use preserved lemons in lemon bars or a lemon tart.

- Try this out: Add preserved lemons to cacio e pepe, lemony herb couscous, and lemon pepper chicken.

Tried this recipe? Let us know in the comments below!