Preserved Lemons

 When I first read about preserved lemons, it felt like fate. In the dead of a frigid New York City winter, I was craving bright and vibrant flavors, while also thinking of alternative methods for using salt. Salt in itself is fine, and necessary to bring out the best flavors of a dish, but it can be one note. Using salty ingredients like anchovies, capers, and olives adds salt in addition to flavor. These vivid yellow fruits resting in a salty brine seemed to unlock new flavors that yes, were salty, but also floral, citrusy, and somewhat tropical. The sweetness of the lemon rind is coaxed out by the salt, which softens the flesh both flavor wise and texturally. The exuberance of youth is preserved but mellowed with time. I make preserved lemons a few times a year. The liquid is wonderful in vinaigrettes and even cocktails. The rind is soft and perfect in stews or in raw garnishes. A whole preserved lemon tucked inside a roast chicken permeates the flesh and keeps it moist.

I’ve used Paula Wolfert’s recipe from her 1973 cookbook Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco. Her recipe is a simple formula of 5 lemons, extra lemon juice, and ¼ cup salt. Quarter the lemons, keeping them attached at one end. Rub the flesh with salt and add the lemons alternately with the remaining salt, cardamom pods (and bay leaves if you choose). Cover with lemon juice and let sit in a covered jar at room temperature for one month, shaking the jar occasionally. Refrigerate after one month.

When working with preserved lemons, remember to rinse them well to remove the excess salt and discard the soft inner flesh. Use the peel in the recipe.