Preserved Lemons

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it really is a Russian cucumber - tomato salad, but somehow it became Israeli salad in America. I bet Israeli do not even know it's exists. ;)

Ha, true! Just like if you go to China and order General Tso's Chicken they look at you like you have two heads.
 
Here in SoCal we have Chinese restaurants that offer "Hunan" beef or "Szechuan" beef, like in some way that the whole cuisine of a vast region of China could be reduced to one recipe. Needless to say the variation of these dishes at different restaurants is wider than the commonality.
 
Mine are just about ready to use. Haven't decided what to use them in yet. A tagine-type dish? More a starch or salad? They'll keep for awhile, just contemplating the options.
 
CharlieD said:
it really is a Russian cucumber - tomato salad, but somehow it became Israeli salad in America. I bet Israeli do not even know it's exists. ;)

My Israeli husband would give you the death stare if he read that! Haha
He said in Israel they call it Arab salad (how it translates)
 
Since my last post I've used them in taboule along with the last tomatoes from the garden. But I used them in couscous once before. There are still maybe 3 lemons left in the jar. I want to find some lamb and make a stew type of dish (a tagine) with the rest of them, and start all over again.
 
Since my last post I've used them in taboule along with the last tomatoes from the garden. But I used them in couscous once before. There are still maybe 3 lemons left in the jar. I want to find some lamb and make a stew type of dish (a tagine) with the rest of them, and start all over again.
I'm trying to imagine how you used them in taboule. Did you chop them up? Did you squeeze them? As you can tell, I have never even met a preserved lemon.
 
I always use organic lemons. Inorganic lemons, usually made with wax or plaster and found in the tchotchkes section of Marshalls or T.J. Maxx , don't have any juice in them!.
 
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We have a new supermarket chain in Los Angeles, they just opened their 5th store nearby, and I saw "sweet lemons" which I've never seen before, bought some. Do you think these are Meyer lemons?

I had too many lemons and limes around and they were in danger of spoiling before I could use them, so I squeezed these sweet lemons and put froze the juice as 1 oz. lemon cubes. I used a bit in my mayonnaise and the mayo came out fine but I have no reference point to tell if it was any different than mayo made from ordinary lemons.
 
I'm trying to imagine how you used them in taboule. Did you chop them up? Did you squeeze them? As you can tell, I have never even met a preserved lemon.

Usually when you put them in salad you only use the rinsed rind. You scrape off the pulp, rinse off the brine off the rind, and then mince it. At least that is how I do it.
 
I'm trying to imagine how you used them in taboule. Did you chop them up? Did you squeeze them? As you can tell, I have never even met a preserved lemon.

Preserved lemons are very mild in flavor. To make it short, you take the lemons and almost quarter them (that is, they still hang together, you quarter them almost to the bottom). Then you pack them with kosher salt. Put them in a jar and squeeze even more lemons over them until they are covered (I do sometimes cheat and use some purified water as well). You then let them soak for a few weeks.

If someone wants an exact recipe, I'll copy one that I have.

AFter a few weeks, these lemons become very distinctive in flavor. I use them whole. Since they are already quartered, I just chop them into little wedges. The rind is soft and the entire lemon is yummy. I use them, as I've said, in taboule, couscous, and tagine. You eat them, rind and all (did I menton that I clean the lemons?).
 
Usually when you put them in salad you only use the rinsed rind. You scrape off the pulp, rinse off the brine off the rind, and then mince it. At least that is how I do it.

Well, as you might have read, I use the entire lemon. Maybe I use less salt than most, because they never taste salty (and I gave a jar to other gourmandes friends and they didn't rinse as well). I just chop them and toss them into the taboule or couscous.
 
we would pack the sterile jars w/ the wedged cuts of the fruit, then sprinkle on a hefty layer of coarse salt, repeat until the jar was suffiecently packed. we'd use cinnamon, whole pepper. generally trimmed the fleshy fruit/bitter pith away when using them. only needed slivers of rind.
 
If I remember properly it was just thin sliced lemon, lemon juice, salt and lots of shoving to get it all in to the jar. I don't remember her sterilizing or canning them and I never got sick.
Lemons are highly acidic, with a pH around 2 or less. Along with the salt, it's a very hostile environment for even the most robust food borne bacteria.

When we make wine, we sanitize - but don't sterilize - the bottles. Nor is the wine ever cooked or pasteurized. Human pathogens simply don't grow in the stuff. I suspect it's probably much the same with preserved lemons.
 
I bought mine they were like a salt lick! Im sure your homemade are better. I want to make my own but I have this fear of canning/preserving I always think I will give myself botulism.....sigh...maybe one day
 
Use and storage

The strong brine and high acidity prevent the lemons from spoiling. After the lemons get to the right stage, put them in the refrigerator. They will keep forever. I use only the lemon peel, which becomes velvety, soft and delicious. I always rinse the lemons and remove everything except the peel, then pat them dry before chopping. It's a nice flavor surprise to come across a small piece of preserved lemon in a salad, tajine or other type of stew.
 
I bought mine they were like a salt lick! Im sure your homemade are better. I want to make my own but I have this fear of canning/preserving I always think I will give myself botulism.....sigh...maybe one day

Like Steve, the containers get sanitized but the jars don't get that final boiling water bath.

Have you ever seen kimchi made? Now that scares me that there may be some spots missed in the cabbage during the process.
 
I also make kimchee. When I give the lemons (or the kimchee) to friends, I make sure to tell them that they are not, NOT sterilized preserves. In other words, eat them soon. Both seem to last for a few months in the fridge. But they aren't stuff you'd put in a jar and think it will last forever.

Right now, a friend has asked me to reserve some onion relish for my parents. This is truly good, preserved stuff. I swear, it is so damned delicious. I sent Mom some last year and she just loved it. I'm reserving a couple of jars this year. Yummy!
 
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