[Sca-cooks] Moroccan Preserved Lemons

[Zachary Kessin]

I loe these, I had never had them until I got to israel, but they are sold
everywhere here (along with the olives) I make a lemon chicken with them
that has become famous amount my circle.

--
Zachary Kessin zkessin at cs.brandeis.edu +972 51 809 717 (Cell)
Custom Internet application development
IM: ZachKessin


On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 vhsjvs at gis.net wrote:

> I think Stefan posted one that I sent a few months ago.  It is basically
> the same as mine except that I added a few extra steps such as rolling
> the lemons to loosen the juices before cutting off the ends and cutting
> into them to add the salt.  Also, I specify the use of wide mouth jars
> for ease of inserting lemons and taking out the finished ones.  This is
> the way we made them when I lived in Morocco.
> Angharad
>
>
> ----- Original Message Follows -----
> >
> > This topic came up a while back. Here are some recipes published in
> > English...
> >
> > Preserved Salted Lemons - L'Hamd Markad
> >
> > Preserved salted lemons are an essential part of Moroccan cuisine.
> > While it takes a few weeks before they're ready to use, they are very
> > simple to make. You can also do this to limes.
> >
> > -------
> > Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from My Moroccan Kitchen
> > by Kitty Morse
> > Chronicle Books, 1998
> > ISBN: 081181503X
> > Kitty Morse was born to a Moroccan Sephardic Jewish mother and
> > English father and raised in Morocco in the city of Casablanca. She
> > now divides her time between Southern California and Azemmour in
> > Morocco. Her books are pretty good.
> >
> > 12 or more unblemished organically grown Meyer or other lemons,
> > scrubbed Sea salt
> > fresh lemon juice as needed
> >
> > Wash lemons and pat dry. Cut a thin dime-sized piece from both ends
> > of each lemon. Set each lemon on end and make a vertical cut three
> > quarters of the way through, so halves remain attached at the base -
> > do not cut all the way through. Turn lemon upside down and make a
> > similar cut through at a 90 degree angle to the first. Fill each cut
> > with as much salt as it will hold. Place lemons carefully in a
> > sterilized wide-mouth glass quart jar. Compress lemons while adding
> > them until no space is left and lemon juice rises to the top. Lemons
> > must be covered with juice at all times, so add lemon juice if
> > necessary. Seal and set aside in dark place.
> >
> > Keep for 4 to 6 weeks before using. To use, discard seeds, and rise
> > lightly if necessary. Once opened, store in refrigerator where they
> > will keep up to 6 months.
> >
> > -------
> > Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco
> > by Paula Wolfert
> > -- Hardcover: HarperCollins, 1973
> > # ASIN: 0060147210
> > -- Paperback: Quill, 1987
> > ISBN: 0060913967
> > Paula Wolfert, a noted food expert, especially of cuisines from
> > around the Mediterranean, spent quite a few years living in Morocco
> > in the 1960s, IIRC. This book is quite possibly the best on Moroccan
> > food in English, although she leaves out a few essential items, such
> > as most breads. Still in print and well worth owning...
> >
> > 5 lemons, scrubbed
> > 1/4 c. salt or more as needed
> > fresh lemon juice as needed
> >
> > Optional spices as used in the city of Safi:
> > 1 cinnamon stick
> > 3 cloves
> > 5-6 coriander seeds
> > 3-4 black peppercorns
> > 1 bay leaf
> >
> > Wash lemons. To soften rind, soak lemons in lukewarm water for 3
> > days, changing water daily. Pat lemons dry.
> >
> > Quarter lemons from top to within 1/2 inch of bottom. Sprinkle salt
> > on exposed flesh and press sides back together. Place 1 Tb. salt in
> > bottom of sterilized 1 pint mason jar. Pack in lemons, push them
> > down, adding more salt, and optional spice mixture between layers.
> > Press lemons down to release juice and make room for more lemons.
> > Lemons must be covered with juice, so add fresh lemon juice if
> > necessary. Seal and set aside in warm dark place.
> >
> > Turn jar upside down each day to distribute salt and juice. Let ripen
> > for 30 days before using. To use, rinse as needed. No need to
> > refrigerate after opening. Lemons will keep up to a year - pickling
> > juice can be used 2 or 3 times over the course of a year.
> >
> > -------
> > from The Moroccan Cookbook, 1975, by Irene F. Day
> > Irene Day lived in Morocco for three years and has a few amusing
> > stories to tell. Most of the recipes are not particularly
> > outstanding, but some of her basics are good. It's still in print,
> > but, really, there's no need to rush out and look for this book, so
> > i'm not giving pub.details. I bought it when it was first published,
> > back when there were limited resources on Moroccan cooking in English.
> >
> > 12 or more firm ripe lemons, scrubbed
> > Sea salt
> > fresh lemon juice as needed
> >
> > Wash lemons and pat dry. Slash sides of each lemon lengthwise from
> > top to bottom 3 or 4 times but do not cut apart. Fill each cut with
> > as much salt as it will hold. Place lemons carefully in a sterilized
> > wide-mouth glass quart jar. Compress lemons while adding them until
> > no space is left and lemon juice risen to the top. Lemons must be
> > covered with juice, so add lemon juice if necessary. Seal and set
> > aside in warm dark place.
> >
> > After 10 days, remove lemons, place in sterilized jar, add more salt
> > and enough lemon juice to cover fruit, and re-seal. Store for another
> > 10 days or more and use. Will keep 2 months or more.
> >
> >
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