Kenza's Pickled Lemon Recipe

Bring out your pickling jars for this delicious recipe by blogger Kenza of Fig & Lemon.

Pickled lemons or lemoon m'raqad, as they are known in Morocco, are a secret ingredient that can elevate any dish. When you're looking to add a hit of flavour to any meal, bring out this secret weapon. Not unlike a traditional lime pickle from Kerala, or even the green mango in brine, this recipe by Kenza comes together easily and pairs well with several dishes including Pan-Seared Tuna and Chicken Tagine. You can also use it to amp up a simple dal and rice or stir into a bowl of kanji if you're in the mood for some low-key comfort food. 

Recipe: Moroccan Pickled Lemons

Ingredients
4 lemons
8 tsp sea salt
Juice from 4 lemons

Method
Wash and scrub the lemons. Cut the ends off. Cut in quarters, leaving them attached at the base.
Fill each lemon with two teaspoons of the salt.
Gently close the lemons by squeezing them and placing them in a sterilised preserving jar. Add the juice of two lemons and close. Place in a cool, dark spot for four days (the back of the kitchen cabinet, covered with a towel works well).
After four days, open the jar and press down the lemons with a large wooden spoon to let the juices run. Add the juice of two or more lemons until the preserved lemons are immersed in the juice.
Close again and return to a cool, unlit spot for at least a month. The longer they, stay the better.

Tip: When opening the jars, if you see some white fungal growth on the skin of the lemon, just rinse it out with the liquid from the preserve. It is not toxic.

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