Cooky Cat

Written by Paula Wolfert in Moroccan Cooking Facebook Group  https://www.facebook.com/groups/moroccanCooking/

Moroccan Preserved Lemons

To Make Preserved Lemons:

The following recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc. Once made, be sure to store your preserved lemons in a glass jar with a tight fitting cover.

According to the late, distinguished food writer Michael Field, the best way to extract the maximum amount of juice from a lemon is to cook it in a microwave or in boiling water for a short time, then allow it to cool before squeezing.

Some cooks suggest using commercial lemon juice to top off their preserved lemons. I only use freshly squeezed lemon juice.

-5 organic lemons, washed, scrubbed and dried
-About ½ cup kosher salt
-1/2 cup freshly squeezed (not bottled) lemon juice,

1. Soften the lemons by rolling them back and forth on a wooden workspace. Quarter the lemons from their tops to within one quarter inch of their bottoms, sprinkle salt on the exposed flesh, then reshape the fruit. Begin packing them in a glass jar, pushing them down, and adding more salt between layers. Top off with the lemon juice, but leave some air space before sealing the jar.

2. Allow the lemons to ripen in a warm place for 30 days, turning the jar upside down every few days to distribute the salt and juice. If necessary, you can open the jar and add more lemon juice to keep them covered.

Notes to the Cook

To use: pluck out a lemon with a wooden fork or spoon and rinse it under running water. Remove and discard the pulp unless called for in the recipe.

I generally use only the rinds, but in a few recipes, I add the pulp to the marinade.
If properly made, there is no need to refrigerate after open¬ing. Preserved lemons will keep up to a year, and some of the pickling juice can be added to new batches.

The most important thing to remember about preserving lemons is that they must be completely covered with salted lemon juice.