Pickled Preserved Lemons Recipes

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Toss the lemon slices in kosher salt to coat, and place them into a sterile 2 quart glass jar. Pour in the lemon juice, cover tightly, and let stand on the counter for 1 week. Turn the jar over daily. At the end of the week, top the jar off with enough olive oil to cover the lemons. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 months.
• To use, pull the lemon pulp from the peel, and scrape out the pith to leave only the yellow rind. Julienne, and add to your favorite dish for a lemony zing.

PICKLED PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Quarter each lemon from top to within 1/2 inch of bottom so that slices are still attached to bottom of lemon.
• Rub salt on exposed flesh and re-form.
• Place 2 tablespoons of salt on the bottom of a jar (size of the lemons will determine the size of jar needed).
• Pack lemons in layers, alternating with salt, until jar is full. Add fresh lemon juice, if necessary, to cover lemons.
• Close jar and store on a shelf.
• Occasionally turn jar over to redistribute salt.
• Lemons can be used in two weeks and will keep unrefrigerated for a year.
• To use, rinse slices under cold water to remove salt.
• Remove and discard pulp.
• Use rind as a flavoring agent, cutting it up to spike up a vegetable salad or to add to the pan when you are deglazing after sauteing meats or fish.

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Wash 10 of the lemons thoroughly and dry them completely (reserve the remaining 3 to 4 lemons for juicing). Cut off about 1/4 inch from the tip of the 10 lemons, then cut them almost all the way into quarters, keeping the ends attached.
• Mix the sugar and 3/4 cup salt in a small bowl. Gently open each quartered lemon, use a small spoon to fill it with the salt mixture and close it back up. Place the lemons and remaining salt mixture in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to overnight. After this time, the lemons will have released some of their juices and become squishy.
• Transfer the salted lemons and oregano if using to a sterilized quart glass jar with tight lid, pressing them tightly into the jar; you want as little space between the lemons as possible. Squeeze enough juice from the reserved lemons (about 3/4 cup) to fill the jar with lemon juice. You may need more or less juice, depending on the size of the lemons.
• Refrigerate the lemons, turning the jar upside down every few days and then placing it back in the refrigerator right-side up, until the rinds are soft, 3 to 4 weeks. You can keep the preserved lemons in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

QUICK PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Trim the ends off the lemons. Slice each lemon into 8 wedges, removing any seeds as you go. Reserve as much of the juice as possible.
• Layer the lemon wedges in a wide-mouthed 16-ounce canning jar, covering each layer with salt. Pack the jar as tightly as possible, pressing down to release the lemons' juice as you go and leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace in the jar.
• Cover the wedges with the reserved lemon juice from the cutting board and the ends. If your lemons do not release a significant amount of juice, top off the jar with the juice of another lemon.
• Stash in the refrigerator for 4 days, then flip the jar over and age another 4 days before sampling. The peel should be nice and soft. Rinse before using.

QUICK 'PRESERVED' LEMONS

Steps:

• Dice lemons, including peel, removing as many seeds as possible. Put the lemons and their juice in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt and sugar; toss well and transfer to a jar. Let the mixture sit for at least 3 hours at room temperature, shaking the jar periodically. It can be served at that point or refrigerated for up to a week.

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Scrub 3 to 5 organic lemons, enough to fit snugly in a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid (have 2 to 4 more ready on the side). Slice each lemon from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom, almost cutting them into quarters but leaving them attached at one end. Rub kosher salt over the cut surfaces, then reshape the fruit. Cover the bottom of the jar with more kosher salt. Fit all the cut lemons in, breaking them apart if necessary. Sprinkle salt on each layer.
• Press the lemons down to release their juices. Add to the jar the peppercorns and bay leaves, then squeeze the additional lemons into the jar until juice covers everything.
• Close the jar and let ripen at cool room temperature, shaking the jar every day for 3 to 4 weeks, or until the rinds are tender to the bite. Then store it in the refrigerator.
• To use, remove a piece of lemon and rinse it. (Add more fresh lemons to the brine as you use them up.) The minced rind is added at the very end of cooking or used raw; the pulp can be added to a simmering pot.

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• 1. If you wish to soften the peel, soak the lemons in lukewarm water for 3 days, changing the water daily.
• 2. Quarter the lemons from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom, sprinkle salt on the exposed flesh, then reshape the fruit.
• 3. Place 1 tablespoon salt on the bottom of the mason jar. Pack in the lemons and push them down, adding more salt, and the optional spices between layers. Press the lemons down to release their juices and to make room for the remaining lemons. (If the juice released from the squashed fruit does not cover them, add freshly squeezed lemon juice - not chemically produced lemon juice and not water.*) Leave some air space before sealing the jar.
• 4. Let the lemons ripen in a warm place, shaking the jar each day to distribute the salt and juice. Let ripen for 30 days. To use, rinse the lemons, as needed, under running water, removing and discarding the pulp, if desired - and there is no need to refrigerate after opening. Preserved lemons will keep up to a year, and the pickling juice can be used two or three times over the course of a year.
• According to the late Michael Field, the best way to extract the maximum amount of juice from a lemon is to boil it in water for 2 or 3 minutes and allow it to cool before squeezing.
• Paula Wolfert shares her tips with Epicurious:
• •Located on Morocco's Atlantic coast, south of Casablanca and north of Essaouira, the city of Safi is known for its seafood specialties. •To most closely approximate the flavor of Moroccan lemons, Wolfert recommends Meyer lemons for this recipe. This lemon/mandarin orange hybrid, in season in January and February, has yellow-orange flesh, a smooth rind, and a sweeter flavor than other lemons. •To sterilize a mason jar for the lemons, place it upside down in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes. Using tongs (wrap the ends in rubber bands for a better grip), remove the hot jar and dry it upside down on a paper towel-lined baking sheet in a warm oven. To sterilize the jar's top, boil it in water for 5 minutes, then remove with tongs. For more information on home canning, click here. •When you're ready to use a lemon, remove it with clean utensils to avoid contaminating the inside of the jar with bacteria. This way, the remaining contents of the jar will not need to be refrigerated.

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Sterilize two 1.5-liter canning jars and two 1-liter canning jars with clamp-top lids (we used Fido brand) by boiling them and their rubber seals in water 10 minutes. Remove with tongs, and let cool.
• Cut stem end off each of 24 to 30 lemons. Make 5 or 6 slits (a little less than 1/2 inch deep) down the length of each lemon with a sharp paring knife, cutting to within 1/2 inch of bottom of lemon but not all the way through. Press top of lemon with your palm to flatten and cause slits to splay open. Gather and save any juices that accumulate on cutting board. Pack as much salt as possible (about 1 tablespoon) into each slit.
• Place about 1/2 cup salt in each 1.5-liter jar, and pour in a little lemon juice. Working with 1 jar at a time, add 1 lemon, and flatten as much as possible. Sprinkle in a little more salt, add another lemon and repeat process, adding more juice every so often. Repeat until you reach top of jar (each jar should take 12 to 15 lemons). Seal jars, and refrigerate 20 days, shaking and rotating once a day, before giving as a gift. Most but not all of the salt will dissolve.
• For remaining lemons, trim stem end of each lemon and cut in half lengthwise; cut each half into 8 pieces. For every 2 cups of lemon pieces, toss with 1/2 cup salt in a bowl. Fill two 1-liter jars with lemon mixture, pressing down as many lemon pieces as possible and causing them to exude some of their juice. Seal jars, and refrigerate at least 10 days, shaking and rotating once a day, before giving as gifts.

QUICK PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Wash lemons in hot water (to remove any waxy coating); halve them lengthwise and slice very thinly crosswise. Combine with salt, sugar, and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand at room temperature 1 day, then transfer to a jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Juice 6 of the lemons then cut the remaining 4 into quarters. Pack in layers with salt, star anise, cinnamon sticks and coriander seeds, into a sterilised jar. Pour in lemon juice and top with water to just cover lemons. Seal and store in a dark, cool place for at least a month before using. Scoop out the pulp and rinse before use. These will keep for about six months.