Quick Preserved Lemons
I am one to appreciate age and the process of aging not only in food, but also in things, people and nature. So I won’t say these express preserved lemons are as good as those aged for weeks but almost. They’re minimally distinguishable.
We all need to take shortcuts in life sometimes, don’t we? And this is not a bad one at all.
Next time you have a sudden craving for chicken tagine with preserved lemons, you don’t have to worry about not having planned ahead. Your preserved lemons can be ready the same day.
Fast can be good!
Same Day Preserved Lemon Recipe
Adapted from Foodnetwork.com
3 organic Meyer or Eureka lemons
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Enough water to cover the lemons
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut one lemon lengthwise into six wedges. Slice the second one into rounds. Chop the third one into cubes. Of course, you can cut them all into wedges; I just like to have a variety of shapes for different purposes.
Arrange the lemons in a single layer in a glass pan. Sprinkle them with kosher salt and pour enough water in the pan to cover the lemons.
Bake the lemons for 3 hours. Let cool slightly.
Transfer them with their brine to an airtight container. Refrigerate.
Refrigerated preserved lemons will keep indefinitely. Rinse them before use to get rid of excess salt. Typically, only the rind is used in cooking, although some people like to cook with the pulp as well.
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La Table De Nana — 08/18/2011 @ 7:34 pm
I am always going to come back and see ..I am also sending this to my friend:) Thank you!Looks great w/ Blk and white!..Love yellow w/ those two.
dottieb — 08/18/2011 @ 8:32 pm
thank you for this fast, convenient way to preserve lemons. can't wait to try it!
Dzoli — 08/18/2011 @ 9:00 pm
I have a few Meyer tree lemons.Gorgeous trees that give me fruit almost all year round.So I do make lemons thsi way and I love them in certain foods:)
oneordinaryday — 08/18/2011 @ 9:21 pm
Great photos, as always. I'm intrigued by the idea of preserving lemons. Can I use them anytime I would add lemon slices or juice to a dish?
Anonymous — 08/18/2011 @ 10:48 pm
Great photos.
Great recipes.
Great hostess.
Thanks for sharing "alalla".
Allah i3tik sa77a!!
Tebarek allah 3lik!!
Nisrine — 08/19/2011 @ 12:19 am
Oneordinaryday — they're not a substitute for lemon juice but they do add acidity and a lovely bitterness to dishes.
Nisrine — 08/19/2011 @ 12:20 am
Anonymous — Sweet :)
El — 08/19/2011 @ 2:14 am
I've always wanted to try preserving lemons but never had the patience. This recipe is perfect for me. Thanks!
Bryan — 08/19/2011 @ 2:23 am
How great is this! I love preserved lemons, thanks for the shortcut.
Christine Cappio — 08/19/2011 @ 6:24 am
Thanks for sharing this quick recipe. Very useful! I made a lamb stew with pickled lemon in brine. Do you thin it would be better with preserved ones (like those in your recipe)? Thanks.
Lucy — 08/19/2011 @ 10:18 am
I used preserved lemons just the other day in a chicken dish! Never thought of making them myself – the recipe looks great.
brettthewinemaestro — 08/19/2011 @ 12:56 pm
Very useful 'quick' recipe. Thank you!
Barbara | Creative Culinary — 08/19/2011 @ 3:21 pm
I needed this…for a most unusual reason. I have a jar of preserved lemons I bought years ago just because I thought they looked pretty. They did. Then.
I sort of really 'saw' this the other day and was almost tempted to trash the bottle but now know why I did not…I just need to replace the contents! Thanks a bunch.
Bria @ West of Persia — 08/19/2011 @ 3:55 pm
This is pretty darn brilliant, Nisrine, esp as I've been looking for just such a recipe. Thanks so much!
Ann — 08/20/2011 @ 5:11 am
What a terrific idea! There are times when you need convenient ingredients – especially for hard-to-find items. BRAVO!
We Are Not Martha — 08/20/2011 @ 5:29 pm
What a great idea! Looks pretty easy and they're so, so pretty!
Sues
Rosa's Yummy Yums — 08/20/2011 @ 10:33 pm
That is something I love… A great recipe. Perfect for making delightfully fragrant tajines.
Cheers,
Rosa
Kalyn — 08/21/2011 @ 3:09 pm
I love this idea, thanks for sharing!
Russell at Chasing Delicious — 08/21/2011 @ 4:02 pm
I love shortcuts! And lemons! Thanks for sharing. Love the shots.
Deeba PAB — 08/22/2011 @ 2:30 pm
Who would have thought that you can fast track preserved lemons. Brilliant idea Nisrine.