Preserved lemons were a key ingredient in many of the dishes we enjoyed in Morocco. In the past, I tried buying preserved lemons, but they were hard to find and when I did find them, often times they tasted “off”. So, I looked into preserving my own, and couldn’t believe how easy it was! A home~prepared jar of preserved lemons, packed in a good quality olive oil is pure gold in your refrigerator! The rind and the pulp of the fruit will zest up the flavor of any dish and the lemon infused olive oil makes a spectacular drizzle or vinaigrette.
You can find some more precise recipes I’ve posted in the past, here’s one where you boil the fruit before preserving: Meyer Lemons Preserved . But, as I learned from Nigella Lawson, you can get the same effect by freezing the fruit in salt for a few days or weeks. It’s much easier and the results are the same if not better. To see a detailed recipe click on Preserved Limes.
Today, I’m just going to explain the methodology, so you can do one lemon, ten or more. Please do this soon because I am perfecting some tagine recipes that I hope to share with you in the not too distant future and these lemons will be an essential component.
To make preserved lemons with ease, just find some juicy lemons {fruits that feels heavier than others have more juice}, slice them, removing any seeds and the white pith that runs down the center of the fruit {see top photo}.
Toss the lemon slices in plenty of coarse salt, making sure the pulp portion is completely coated and then seal them up in an airtight container and put them in the freezer for a few days, or a few weeks {I usually leave them for weeks because I get distracted or leave town}.
When you take them out of the freezer, rinse off all of the salt. They will be limp and tender.
Next, pack them in a sterilized jar and fill the jar with olive oil. Make sure the oil covers all of the fruit because if any of the fruit is not covered it will mold.
I store them in my refrigerator, but you can store them in any cool dark place. In a week they will be ready to use. Since I store them in the refrigerator the olive oil solidifies. If I want to use the oil I just take the jar out about an hour before I need it and it liquifies quickly.
There it is, simple as can be, right?
I hope you have a bright and beautiful day.
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