One of the great things about living in Southern California is the abundance of citrus in the winter. Every year we get a bounty of lemons. Preserved lemons are a pantry staple of many North African, Middle Eastern and  Indian kitchens. You can buy preserved lemons at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, but DON’T!  Homemade preserved lemons have a complexity and depth of flavor that just can’t be store bought.

Fabienne’s neighbor has a tree full of Meyer lemons, and I brought over a basket of Eureka lemons but any variety will do. All you need is lemons kosher salt and a little patience. Once the lemons are cured you can add them to a variety of dishes from a traditional Moroccan tagine, finely minced over grilled salmon or stuffed into a roast chicken. Preserved lemons are also great with quinoa and roasted vegetables. Check back in a few weeks after our preserved lemons have cured for a recipe!

Preserved lemons have a long history, as far back as the 14th century. The famed explorer and Moroccan scholar Ibn Battutah described eating them in Mogadishu. ~ The Travels of Ibn Battutah

We made a traditional version of preserved lemons using bay leaves and peppercorns, but you can get creative and add a variety of ingredients to the jar; rosemary, thyme, chilis, saffron or fennel seeds. Let us know your favorite combo.

Preserved Lemons

Equipment
2 16oz Ball jars

30 minutes prep
3 weeks curing

Ingredients

16 medium lemons

2 cups kosher salt on hand

20 peppercorns

6 bay leaves

Instructions

Scrub lemons. Slice 6 lemons from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom, almost cutting them into quarters but leaving them attached at one end.

Rub kosher salt over the cut surfaces then reshape the fruit. Cover the bottom of the jar with salt. Put three lemons into each jar and sprinkle with more salt.

Press the lemons down to release their juices. Add 10 peppercorns and 3 bay leaves to each jar. Squeeze juice of remaining lemons into the jars until the juice covers everything.

Close the jar and let ripen at cool temperature in a cupboard, shaking jar every day for three to four weeks. Then store in the refrigerator.

To use, remove a piece of lemon and rinse it. Minced rind is added at the end of cooking; the pulp can be added to a simmering pot.

Notes

You can use any jar size but you may need to adjust recipe if using a larger jar.

These make great gifts.