The Preserved Lemon! What a beautiful thing.
From Wikipedia: The preserved lemon is a citrus preparation that is technically a pickle, rather than a preserve. Common in North African cuisine, especially Moroccan cuisine,[1] it is also known as "country lemon" or leems. Diced, halved, or perfectly whole lemons are packed in a simple brine made up of a combination of water, lemon juice, and salt; occasionally spices are included as well.[1] The flesh of the preserved lemon can be used in stews and sauces, but it is the rind that is most valued.
It's a key ingredient in most Moroccan cooking. They provide and intense lemon flavor. Since they also provide salt to the dish, no extra salt is usually needed when cooking with preserved lemons. If you want to tone down the flavor you can also blanch them for about 30-60 seconds in boiling water.
My preserved lemons are currently sitting on the counter. Just a few more days of shaking till they can become part of my delicious creations. I bet Alexis is quite excited too. We shared the shabby lemon preserving experience together. Chris was our assistant.
For more information and a few recipe ideas check out
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/04/the-secret-ingredient-preserved-lemons-moroccan-recipes.html
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1 comment:
I'm so excited for the preserved lemons! What an easy way to snazz up my cooking AND look beautiful on the counter at the same time!
Thanks for the fun project and to Chris for his excellent assistance.
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