Moroccan Preserved Lemons: Culinary Wizardry!

Moroccan is by far one of my favorite cuisines.  It's exquisite combination of spicy, savory and sweet brings home an ancient past life to me. Moroccan cuisine - especially that of Fez - encompasses a rich history and is a wonderful mixture of Arab, Andalusian, Berber and Jewish culinary influence.  Just incredible! 

One of the most common cooking ingredients in Moroccan cuisine is the preserved lemon.  Pickled in salt, preserved lemons lose their sharpness and acquire a distinct flavor and I use them in everything!  I use them as my lemon base in pesto, I grill them with vegetables (the skin is edible due to the brining) I mix them with olives, use them in salad dressings, mix them with potato salads and more!  They are a culinary form of wizardry!  People always ask why my dishes taste so good and it's usually because of the preserved lemons.   

There are three primary ways to brine lemons and some of these require several weeks of brining or preservation in salt and oil.  I have brined my own lemons for a long time and I must say that the below recipe from William Sonoma is a fantastic way to have preserved lemons in a day!  Can't beat it! ENJOY!

PRESERVED LEMON
(Recipe courtesy Williams-Sonoma: Entertaining – Inspired Menus for Cooking with Family and Friends)

• 4 large thin-skinned lemons
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
• Coarse salt
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

To make the preserved lemons, preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Cut a thin slice off both ends of each lemon. Cut each lemon into 8 wedges, and place the wedges in a non-reactive baking dish (glass or ceramic), just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add the garlic, sugar, coriander seeds, three tablespoons of salt, lemon juice, and olive oil – toss to coat evenly. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake the lemon wedges for 10 minutes, turn off the oven and leave them in the oven overnight. In the morning, transfer the contents of the dish to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use; they will keep for up to two weeks.

They will be mushy and yummy and they keep well.  Use them in harissa, pesto, salad dressing, on skewers with chicken and olives as well as tons of other stuff!  JUST DO IT! 

Lemons placed in pan before adding all other ingredients

Mix all other ingredients with lemons then cover lightly in foil and bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes and then turn off stove and leave over night in the stove covered. MAKE A POST-IT NOTE so you remember to jar them in the morning!