Free & Preserved Lemons ~ Part 1

Adding vibrant and delicious flavor to your favorite summer recipes

I first came upon the lovely Free Dominguez at a beautiful dinner party for the launch of the site How You Glow.  Many times at dinner parties I find myself gravitating towards the kitchen for most of the evening. I always feel more at home by the hearth and stove, and this is where I usually meet the artists in the kitchens doing what they love best. At this particular dinner party, I met Free who is as her name describes, a free spirited, singing, angel who brings light to everything she touches. Not only is she an accomplished musician/singer, but her dishes are insanely delicious. She is an example of how you can infuse all you do with detailed precision, craftsmanship, and beauty no matter what the medium. And if that wasn’t enough, she also believes deeply in making service a part of her life, so she created an organization that teaches families in need, how and why to cook nutritious food.

For more all natural, organic and healthy recipes, see The Local Rose.

I for one have been trying to figure out how to use preserved lemons in my cooking. They add such a vibrant, delicious flavor to dishes, and since I have a meyer lemon tree, I would love to savor that taste through out the seasons. One of the dishes Free made that evening at the dinner was a Moroccan Tagine. When she came to teach me about lemons, she also made the delicious stew. More on her and the recipes in Part 2 with Free, but for now lets learn how to preserve lemons to make dishes pop!

Preserved Lemons
2 lbs organic non-waxed lemons, washed and thoroughly dried (Meyer lemons work well because they are thinner skinned. You can use regular lemons, and can consider blanching them to make them less bitter for future use. I’ve blanched and not blanched, it is a preference.)
1⁄2 c kosher salt, more on hand 1⁄2 -1 c lemon juice to cover lemons Sterilized glass preserving jar(s)
DIRECTIONS
Lemons are all different sizes, so there is a lot of wiggle room with the recipe.
1. If lemon has stem, cut if off, leaving skin intact. Stand lemon right side up, quarter, keeping four wedges attached at one end.
2. Put about 3 tablespoons salt at bottom of jar. Put salt and lemons in a bowl, letting them get a little salt on the outside, while adding approximately 1-2 tablespoons of salt to the inside, making sure to cover all the flesh of the lemon.
3. Close lemon with hand, put in jar, press down to release some, not all, juice and repeat. Pack jar until until 1-2” of room is left at the top. Lemons must be completely covered in juice, and if they are not, add fresh lemon juice to the jar.
4. Seal tight and keep in cool dry space for 4 weeks. Turn the jar upside-down, and back, at least once a day. The lemons get better the more you let them ferment. Preserved lemons keep in the refrigerator 1 year. Rinse before use.
VARIATIONS:
Add a few black peppercorns to the jar Add coriander and fennel seeds
Add dried red chile
Some uses for preserved lemons: Add to fish or chicken dishes
Mince and add to olive tapenade, hummus or relish that could use lemon flavor Mince some peel and put in vegetable sautés such as bitter greens
Minced into rice dishes, couscous or any grain salad
Tuna salad
Summer pasta salads
Tomato stews or tagines—any Moroccan inspired dish
Add minced to pasta crème sauces
Add to an aioli
Flesh portion of preserved lemon emulsified in salad dressings