Preserved lemons are the darlings of the citrus season. They make the perfect counterpoint to a dreary winter’s day by adding wonderful bright flavors to slow cooked dishes like beans and grains, braised meats, salads, pancakes and sweets. And they make a fabulous addition to a martini.
Most preserved lemon recipes call for leaving the lemons mostly whole, but you use only the peel. To save a step and make them a little quicker to use in week night meals, I juice the lemons then scrape out the membranes. This way I can grab a peel and go, without having to deal with the pulp. A recipe for Lentils with Hot Paprika and Preserved Lemons follows the instructions for preserving the lemons. The dish is a perfect antidote for the winter blues.
By Tammy Kimbler
Ingredients:
4-5 Meyer Lemons
Kosher Salt
Instructions:
Use organic or local lemons if you can since the skin is the star. Wash the lemons in warm water. Cut in half and juice. Slice the lemon halves in half and scrape out the membrane (I use a spoon), leaving the pith. Slice peel length-wise again so you have eight strips per lemon.
Make a layer of peels in the bottom of a clean glass jar and sprinkle with kosher salt. Continue layering lemons and salt until the jar is full, pressing down as you go. Add the lemon juice and seal the jar. The peels tend to float, so open the jar every day and press them down. The lemons are ready in about a week, but they taste better as time goes by. And they keep forever, until you use them of course.
By Tammy Kimbler
Ingredients:
2 cups dried brown lentils
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot. chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
2 tbs minced preserved lemons
2 tbs hot paprika
2 tbs ground cumin
2 tsp salt
black pepper
handful cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
yogurt
1 Meyer lemon, quartered
Instructions:
Sauté onions in olive oil until lightly browned. Add lentils, carrots, garlic and celery and sauté for 5 more minutes. Add 8 cups of water, preserved lemon, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for one hour until lentils are tender and beginning to fall apart. Taste to adjust seasonings, then add a handful of chopped cilantro and green onions, stirring well.
To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Add a generous dollop of yogurt, then a squeeze of Meyer lemon on top. To make Vegan, leave out the yogurt.
