I’ve always liked the idea of preserved lemons. But I get stumped at the same place you probably do: what do you do with them? You can research recipes and get an idea but I wasn’t truly inspired until I ran into a friend who lived in North Africa.
“Oh! Preserved lemons! Can I have your jar? I love them in everything!”
Everything? Simple enough place to start.
I started trying what she suggested, adding them everywhere. Simply cut off a slice or two (return the rest of the lemon to the brine), dice and mix into your favorite sauces. Toss with salads. Garnish grilled meat. Add a slice to a martini. This is fun.
Grown and preserved on the wonderful Mahjoub farm in Tunisia, where we also get
great tomato sauces and
harissa, which, paired with preserved lemon, is a classic flavor combination. Mr Mahjoub recommends slipping a few slices of preserved lemon in a whole fish before baking, then putting a couple more slices on top before serving.
Each jar includes two lemons.