I have a friend at work who raves about preserved lemons. He buys Meyer lemons when he can and packs them in salt per the instructions at http://www.independent.co.uk/l...-lemons-1648085.html

He uses them as a base for marinades for chicken, beef, lamb, and fish, and does not rinse them as prescribed.

In case this link goes dead, here's the info:

Preserved lemons
By Skye Gyngell
Sunday, 22 March 2009

At the restaurant we preserve lemons all year round, and use them endlessly in salads, dishes with a north African feel, or puréed with crème fraîche, which we serve on roasted fish. It is really worth having a jar or two to hand. They last in a well-sealed jar outside of the fridge for up to a year.


250g/8oz coarse sea salt
8 lemons, well washed and cut into quarters
Extra lemon juice, to cover

Scatter a spoonful of salt into a one-litre sterilised jar. Place the lemons in a bowl with the rest of the salt and toss together well.

Now simply pack the lemon quarters into the jar. Press down firmly on the fruit to release as much juice as possible.

Spoon in the rest of the salt mixture from the bottom of the bowl and add enough extra lemon juice to cover. Place the lid on the jar.

Let the lemons stand for a month in a cool place – though not the fridge. To use, rinse well and add to whatever you fancy.

I have done Preserved Lemons using an Indian recipe where you cut the lemon into 1/4s or 1/8s depending on thesize and then place them in a sterilized jar with salt. Turn the jar daily for 2 weeks. Save 1/2 of the salt/juice mixture and rinse the lemons. Toast some fenegreek and mustard seeds to release the oil and grind with a mortar and pestle. Add to the salt/juice mixture. add the lemons back into the jar with the salt/juice mixture and top with oil to cover the lemons. store in the fridge for a few weeks and then use. they are great as an accompniment with curries and spicy food or with crackers as a hor de ourve.

Regards

I do them much like Chris's friend. I do rinse them for some applications, especially sauce reductions. Though standard lemons are typically preserved, Meyer lemons (a cross between a lemon and either an orange or mandarin, no one is really sure) are superb for preserving, especially if picked or purchased when ripe (like all citrus fruits, Meyer lemons do not ripen further after picking).

I cook a lot of north African cuisine and would be lost without preserved lemons.

(The purée of preserved Meyer with crème fraîche is inspired.)

I have yet to make preserved lemons yet but plan to. One thing I can add though, is that Thomas Keller does is lemons in the freezer which slows down oxidation and keeps the bright lemon color. I can't corroborate this info, just passing along something I read from an esteemed source.

Anybody who's used preserved lemons might be able to help me. I was wondering how you use them. I read that the peel is what your after. so I cant figure if the lemons could be juiced first.

and is it ok to used waxed lemons? they're all I'll ever have access to.

You have to remove the wax first.

No, though you are after the peel you need the juice to cover the lemons. If fact, if you pack in the jar and the juices do not cover them you should squeeze fresh lemons for their juice and add it to the jar. (Do not use bottled juice.)

Though you are after the peel for most applications the pulp is good for marinades (you then can save the pulp for other stuff).

Don't discard the lemon juice as you use the lemons. Keep you fingers out of the jar when you remove the lemons (use a wooden spoon). The juices can be saved in the fridge and used for your next batch, to top off the jar after packing.

For those of us that do not know better...does preserving the lemon add to the flavor or is the benefit just having lemon when you need it?

It changes the flavor. One still recognizes it as lemon, but the changes are not subtle. There is a breadth and depth not found it regular lemons. Though not bright, like regular lemons, it has its place, especially in the cuisines of northern Africa and the Levant. Lamb with ras el hanout and preserved lemon, with a touch of honey and a drizzle of argan oil, is a favorite.

I was talking to a chef for a soup company and he did his preserved lemons slightly differently. He used a mandolin to slice the lemons thinly and then covered them with salt and sugar. He formed the entire thing into a log with saran wrap and let the lemons cure overnight. He thought that due to the small size of the lemon slices he had a close substitue to "normal" preserved lemons. Has anyone ever tried this method?
Lance

I haven't. I'll give it a shot though and see. I would think the time would be insufficient but perhaps not.

I go through a fair amount of preserved lemons. Down to half a jar at the moment. I'll try it when I next make a bunch.

Kevin,
I will try to talk to the chef again and get more details. It was a lucky thing to run in to him the first time so I can't promise any further info but I will try.
Lance