Preserved Lemons

The use of only a handful of ingredients make this recipe incredibly easy to prepare, and the rewards are great. Preserved lemons also have a fairly long shelf life in the fridge and can be used in stews, salads, salad dressings as well as meat dishes and couscous which attest to the fact that they acquired their roots from Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. However, this simple condiment has acquired new dimensions in today's gourmet world and can be tasted very frequently in dishes ranging from salads to roasts and everything in between. I've used it with   farro, couscous, poultry, lamb, pork, fish, risotto and so much more. It is something which I always have in the fridge and something that I have of late used more and more to add a little zing to an otherwise mundane dish of food. It should, however, be used sparingly. It should entice, not overpower. If used correctly, it will definitely surprise, even stun you with it's immediately recognizable flavor or completely bowl you over by it's audacious stature on the plate: that pungent bit of tartness punctuated by a burst of salt.  It is a force with which to be reckoned, and, oh, what a reckoning!

Preserved Lemons

Makes 6 cups of lemons with juice

8-10 lemons

1/2 cup high-quality sea salt or Kosher Salt

1 teaspoon black and red peppercorns

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

3-4 bay leaves

Wash and scrub lemons under cold water and pat them dry. Roll the lemons on a cutting board to cajole the juices beneath the rind before cutting. Quarter 5 of the lemons without cutting completely through, leaving them intact at the bottom. Rub a heaping teaspoon of salt into each lemon and start layering a glass preserving jar with each lemon, sprinkling in the remaining salt and some of the seeds and bay leaves intermittently as you proceed. Juice the remaining lemons and pour the juice in the jar to completely cover the lemons. Add water to cover, if necessary. Seal and leave in the fridge for at least a month to allow rinds to soften before using. I check on the jar periodically and shake it up to make sure the salt doesn't settle at the bottom of the jar.

To use, remove one lemon and remove a wedge from the heart/root. Some recipes call for rinsing the lemon under cold water; I rarely do. You can remove the rind and discard or keep intact (optional) and cut or slice the fruit and add to whatever it is you are making. You can puree the rinds and/or the lemon for dressings or even use it whole, just make sure you remove the seeds. The lemons should always be refrigerated.

Several recipes that I've consulted about preserved lemons seem to be at odds about shelf length. One book says a month and that they should be frozen and thawed - with very little salt - in zip locks bags three times and then finally immersed in olive oil and frozen and thawed again before putting them in a preserving jar. The majority, however, all concur that with high amounts of salt and juice, and ensuring that the lemons stay covered in liquid, it is possible to keep them in the fridge for at least a few months before any harm will come their way. My rule of thumb is this: make a big batch in May and make sure you use them up by October before you make a new batch.