Preserved Lemon

Lemons packed in salt for several weeks until the rind turns soft and mellow. The result is intensely lemony, salty and floral, with little of fresh lemon's sharp acid.

Flavor

How to use it

Use the Rind. The rind is the prize. Rinse it, scrape off the pulp if you like, and chop the peel finely into stews, salads or sauces.

Count It as Salt. Each piece is very salty. Taste before adding any other salt to the dish.

Common mistakes

• Salting the dish as usual, then finding it too salty after adding the lemon.
• Using it like fresh lemon juice. It tastes different.

What goes with preserved lemon

• Harissa. Harissa's heat and preserved lemon's salty brightness appear together across North African cooking.
• Olive. Briny olives and preserved lemon are the classic chicken tagine pair.
• Chicken thigh. Preserved lemon's salty brightness suits rich chicken thighs in tagines.
• Lamb Shoulder. Preserved lemon's salt and brightness cut through lamb's fat.
• Couscous. Chopped preserved lemon seasons plain couscous with salt and citrus.
• Parsley. Parsley's grassy freshness balances preserved lemon's salt.
• Olive oil. Olive oil mellows preserved lemon's salt in dressings and marinades.
• Chickpea. Chickpeas soak up preserved lemon's salty, floral brightness.

Try tonight

• Chicken tagine with olives and preserved lemon
• Couscous with parsley and chopped preserved lemon
• Yogurt sauce with preserved lemon for grilled fish

Storage

Keep covered in their brine in the refrigerator, where they last for months.