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Preserved Lemons

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Makes 1 quart 1x

Time 20 minutes, plus 2 weeks to cure

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • About 3 pounds lemons, washed well and quartered lengthwise
  • About 3/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1 1-1/2-inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 or 3 whole cloves
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 or 3 black peppercorns
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. Fill a 1-quart canning jar with boiling water; soak its lid in boiling water too. Let the water sit while you cut the lemons, then dump the water out.
  2. Sprinkle a 1/4-inch-deep layer of salt across the bottom of the jar. Nestle a layer of lemon quarters into the bottom of the jar, sprinkle liberally with salt, then repeat, adding the spices as you go. Stop when the jar is about three-quarters full. Squeeze the remaining lemons into the jar—seeds and all—so that the fruit is completely submerged in the lemon juice–salt brine. If you don’t have enough liquid, top the lemons off with freshly squeezed juice no later than the following day.
  3. Set the jar out on a counter. Vigorously shake it once a day for 7 to 10 days—during this time it will start to bubble a little. (You’ll be surprised at the size of the cloves!)
  4. Put the jar in the refrigerator and let the lemons continue to cure for another week before using. When they have cured, unscrew the lid; after a moment, they should smell sweet and citrusy—an ammonia smell means they’ve gone wrong somewhere along the line and have to be thrown away. The lemons will keep for at least 2 months in the refrigerator.
  5. To use in stews, blanch the lemon quarters in unsalted boiling water for 10 seconds, just long enough to leach out a little of the salt. For salads or quick-cooked dishes, scrape the flesh away from the peel, discard the flesh, and blanch the peel in unsalted boiling water.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Recipe variations

SHORT-CUT PRESERVED LEMONS If you need preserved lemons in a hurry, dice 2 lemons, removing any seeds. Put in a lidded container, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon each kosher salt and sugar, seal, and shake to combine. Let sit at room temperature for at least 3 hours before using, shaking again every hour or so. Refrigerate if not using right away, for up to a week.