Recipes Using Moroccan Preserved Lemons

Steps:

• Scrub lemons thoroughly under cold running water. Cut each lemon into quarters, but do not cut all the way through the top, so that the lemon still holds together.
• Rub lemons generously with salt inside and out and along all the cuts. Place them in a large sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add lukewarm water to cover; the lemons should be fully immersed. Screw on the lid and let cure for 1 month in a dark, dry, and cool place.

Steps:

• Pour the lemon juice in a large glass jar then add the spices & 1 tablespoon of sea salt.
• Slice the lemon 5 times, from top to bottom, leaving 1/2 inch at both ends. Squeeze open each slit & add a generous amount of sea salt into each opening. Gently reshape the fruit when you are done. Repeat for each lemon.
• Pack the lemons into the jar, pressing them down to release their juices & to make room for the remaining lemons. Add any remaining salt to the jar. Cover the lemons the rest of the way with water then seal with a lid, leaving some air space at the top.
• Let ripen for at least 30 days in a warm place. Shake the jar a couple times a week to distribute the salt & spices.
• Preserved lemons do not need to be refrigerated & will keep up to a year. The pickling juice may be used 2 or 3 times over a year's time, simply add any unused rinds to the jar after sprinkling with salt.
• To use: Rinse with running water then remove & disregard the pulp (optional, my husband likes the pulp).

Steps:

• Trim excess fat and gristle from meat and cut lamb into 1-inch cubes. Place meat in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and saffron; sprinkle over the meat and set aside.
• On a cutting board, mince together the orange zest, cilantro leaves, garlic, and salt until you have a paste. Add to the meat along with the orange juice and stir well to coat. Cover the bowl and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
• Transfer the mixture to a heavy pot, add the onions, tomatoes, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer (or bake in a preheated 350 degree oven) until the meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add olives and, if using, preserved lemon to the pot. Cook about 10 minutes more, then serve.
• Wash a 1-pint glass-canning jar and its lid with hot soapy water; rinse and dry thoroughly.
• Cut 6 of the lemons, 1 at a time, into quarters through 1 end without cutting all the way through the other end. You want the lemon to open out like a flower, but not to separate. Place the lemon on a large piece of parchment or waxed paper, spread quarters open and sprinkle flesh with a heaping tablespoon of kosher salt; put the lemon into the jar. Continue with remaining lemons, sprinkling salt on each. Pack the lemons in the jar tightly, filling it to the top (you may need more or less than 6 lemons, depending on their size). When you reach the top, lift the parchment and pour the excess salt from it into the jar of lemons.
• Slide the bay leaves down opposite sides of the jar. Juice the remaining lemons 1 by 1, adding juice to the jar, until it reaches the top. Seal jar, shake well, and let stand at room temperature, shaking well every 12 hours, for 1 week. After 1 week, transfer jar to the refrigerator, continuing to shake every day. Lemons are preserved after 3 weeks and keep up to several months in the refrigerator.
• To use lemons, pull out as needed and scrape away pulp. Dice peel and use as a condiment.

Steps:

• Thoroughly wash and dry lemons. Cut each lemon lengthwise into quarters, but only two-thirds of the way through, so one end remains intact. Rub the insides with 1 to 2 teaspoons salt. In 2 one-quart jars or 1 two-quart jar, layer lemons, remaining salt, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Pack the lemons as tightly as possible. Pour the lemon juice over the lemons until they are submerged.
• Close jar or jars tightly. Place in a warm spot to ripen for at least 1 week before using. Gently shake the jars daily to redistribute salt. Store in the refrigerator. To use preserved lemons, remove amount needed from jar, remove flesh, and discard; rinse rind under cold water to remove excess salt.

Steps:

• Blanch 2 lemons in boiling water for 10 minutes; drain.
• When cool enough to handle, cut each lemon with a sharp knife into 8 wedges and discard seeds.
• Toss with kosher salt in a bowl and then pack the salted lemons into a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid.
• Squeeze enough juice from remaining lemons to measure approximately 1/4 cup. If needed, add more juice to completely cover the lemons.
• Put lid on jar and let lemons stand at room temperature, shaking gently once a day, for 5 days. Rinse lightly before use to remove excess salt.
• If you have any preserved lemons left, you can put them -- along with the original lemon juice liquid -- into the refrigerator. Make sure the lemons are covered. (I usually put them into a smaller container so I won't have to add any additional lemon juice.) They will keep up to two weeks.

Steps:

• Wash lemons well.
• Be sure to have a jar big enough for the lemons to fit. Put a couple tablespoons of salt in the bottom of the jar.
• Holding over a plate to catch the juice, make four deep longitudinal cuts, evenly spaced, in each lemon. Keep ends attached.
• Or quarter the lemons keeping stem end intact.
• Pack salt liberally into cuts.
• Pack lemons into jar tightly, helping to press out some juice and sprinkling thin layer of salt over each layer of lemons. Top with final layer of salt.
• Add juice from the plate.
• Cover jar tightly and leave at room temperature for a few days, watching level of juice. Lemons should be covered in their own juice, if not, add more lemon juice.
• They'll be ready to eat in a few weeks and can keep for up to a year.

Steps:

• Prepare the preserved lemons as directed in the recipe.
• Pat the chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch saute pan set over moderately high heat. Saute the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm, covered.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ginger, paprika, turmeric, saffron, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
• Add the chicken and stock to the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
• Scrape the pulp from the preserved lemons, and discard or reserve for another use. Cut the lemon rind into slivers and add to the chicken, along with the olives.
• Cook for 5 minutes, uncovered.
• Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and spoon the olives and lemons around them. Add the lemon juice, taste for seasoning, and add more salt if necessary.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with the parsley and cilantro and serve.
• Make ahead: This dish can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove over low heat until warmed through.

Steps:

• Blanch lemons in boiling water 5 minutes, then drain. When cool enough to handle, cut each lemon into 8 wedges, discarding seeds. Toss lemons with kosher salt in a bowl, then pack lemons, along with their salt, tightly into jar.
• Add enough lemon juice to cover lemons. Seal jar and let lemons stand at room temperature, shaking gently once a day, for 5 days.
• Add oil to jar and refrigerate.

Steps:

• Blanch 6 lemons in boiling water 5 minutes, then drain. Cut each lemon into 8 wedges and discard seeds. Toss with kosher salt in a bowl, then firmly pack with salt into jar.
• Squeeze enough juice from remaining lemons to measure 1 cup. Add enough juice to cover lemons and screw on lid. Let stand at room temperature, shaking jar gently once a day, 5 days. Add oil to lemons and chill, covered.

Steps:

• If you wish to soften the peel, soak the lemons in lukewarm water for 3 days, changing the water daily.
• Quarter the lemons from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom, sprinkle salt on the exposed flesh, then reshape the fruit.
• Place 1 tablespoon salt on the bottom of the mason jar. Pack in the lemons and push them down, adding more salt, and the optional spices between layers. Press the lemons down to release their juices and to make room for the remaining lemons. (If the juice released from the squashed fruit does not cover them, add freshly squeezed lemon juice - not chemically produced lemon juice and not water.*) Leave some air space before sealing the jar.
• Let the lemons ripen in a warm place, shaking the jar each day to distribute the salt and juice. Let ripen for 30 days. To 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. Preserved lemons will keep up to a year, and the pickling juice can be used two or three times over the course of a year.
• * According 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.
• Paula Wolfert shares her tips:.
• •Located on Morocco's Atlantic coast, south of Casablanca and north of Essaouira, the city of Safi is known for its seafood specialties.
• •To most closely approximate the flavor of Moroccan lemons, Wolfert recommends Meyer lemons for this recipe. This lemon/mandarin orange hybrid, in season in January and February, has yellow-orange flesh, a smooth rind, and a sweeter flavor than other lemons.
• •To sterilize a mason jar for the lemons, place it upside down in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes. Using tongs (wrap the ends in rubber bands for a better grip), remove the hot jar and dry it upside down on a paper towel-lined baking sheet in a warm oven. To sterilize the jar's top, boil it in water for 5 minutes, then remove with tongs.
• •When you're ready to use a lemon, remove it with clean utensils to avoid contaminating the inside of the jar with bacteria. This way, the remaining contents of the jar will not need to be refrigerated.