Cured Preserved Lemons

Preserved lemons can be made several different ways. I prefer Thomas Kellers rendition because it offer a salty/sweet combination that is a savory compliment so several different dishes. I like to use them for salads, pastas, dressings, chicken, and salsas. You can also use them as an edible garnish. Most notably, you would find preserved lemons in Moroccan dishes. There are a variety of different spices you can use when curing but, this simple recipe will satisfy your fun in the kitchen. Here are your simple 3 ingredients; lemons, salt & sugar. You’ll also need a mason jar.

The first thing you want to do is wash the lemon skins. Once washed thoroughly and dried, slice lemons into 1/8 inch slices. Remove the seeds from the slices and line a glass or ceramic baking dish with one row of the lemon slices.

Mix the salt & sugar together in a bowl and evenly dust a layer of the mixture over the lemons, covering them almost completely.

Continue to do this layer by layer until you’ve used all the lemons and they are covered completely with the salt & sugar mixture.

Cover mixture tightly with a lid and/or saran wrap and set aside for 3 days. You’ll see the lemons begin to absorb the mixture and start to liquify. Your lemons should look like they’re sitting in a syrup.

After 3 days, place the lemons and the liquid in an air tight mason jar and store in the refrigerator. Use as necessary. These will keep up to 6 months.