Element 1: Salt-Preserved Lemons
Salt-preserved lemons have a unique taste—tart, salty, and intensely lemony. They are another of my cooking staples. They are simple to make and add a unique twist to soups, stews, fish, meats, and salad dressings. Preserved lemons originated in the Middle East and are now used in cooking all over the world. The process of storing the lemons with salt draws out their juices and causes them to soften over time, removing bitterness from the peel and giving the lemons a whole new personality for culinary exploration.
Preserved lemons are traditionally made with small Meyer lemons, but regular lemons work just as well. The lemons are preserved with their rinds and need to cure in a jar for about a month before they are ready to use, rind and all. The cured peel is where most of the flavor resides and a little goes a long way.
To make salt-preserved lemons gather:
10-12 Meyer or regular lemons, ends trimmed 1/4 inch
Lots of kosher salt
Fresh lemon juice
1 quart ball jar with lid
Pestle or something to squish the lemons into the jar
Cut a deep X into the trimmed end of each lemon without cutting them all the way through. Leave a half to a full inch the center of the lemon uncut. The lemon will look like a four-petal flower. Now, pack the opening at both ends with as much kosher salt as you can. Be generous with the salt.
Place 1 tablespoon of salt into the bottom of a hot quart jar. Place a lemon in the jar and squish it down to release its juice. Add the next lemon and repeat the squishing process. Continue this process until you have added all your lemons. Let them sit for a few minutes to allow the lemon juice to cover all the fruit. If the lemons aren’t covered in juice, top the jar off with fresh lemon juice. Now you can clean the rim of the jar and twist on the ball jar lid.
Now it’s a waiting game. Just place the sealed jar on the counter or on top of your fridge for about a month. Keep out of the sun. Check the lemons every few days to make sure they are submerged in the juice and add more fresh lemon juice as needed. The lemons are done when the rinds are nice and soft. Keep in the refrigerator where they will keep for up to a year.
If you want to tone down the saltiness of the lemons for cooking, you can give them a quick rinse in the sink. Otherwise, take advantage of the saltiness, but avoid adding additional salt to a recipe before tasting.
I just diced a piece of preserved lemon finely (1 Tbs) and added it to a simmering pot of split pea soup along with one and half tsp of cumin powder, half tsp of ground tumeric, and a pinch of ground ground nutmeg to give the soup a middle eastern flare. But you can add it to anything which might benefit from the matured, deep flavor of savory lemon.