Best Ways to Use Preserved Lemons

Question

I bought a bottle of your preserved lemons, and I'm hoping you can direct me to a recipe or two that uses them. Thanks!

Lynn Clark · Accepted Answer

Thanks for your question! I love the Casablanca preserved lemons from our store, I'm so glad you ordered them. They have a much more well-rounded flavor than most, less bitter too.
Here are some ideas:
Chicken Tagine  - simply add 1 to 2 tablespoons of minced peel 10 minutes before the dish is done.
Preserved lemons are a terrific way to enhance bean dishes, like a quick chickpea salad or our favorite weeknight-simple Turkish Red Lentil Soup flavored with cumin and paprika. Follow the recipe, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped rind to the dish during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Make a quick yogurt dipping sauce following this simple recipe. Blend 1 tablespoon of minced peel per 1 cup of Greek yogurt seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and a splash of extra-virgin olive oil. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, cilantro, oregano or dill. The sauce will taste good with vegetables, fish or chicken; or thin it out with lemon juice and more olive oil to make a salad dressing.
For a quick relish for meats, fish or roasted vegetables, mince 2 teaspoons of pulp to blend with ½ cup of rinsed-and-chopped green and black olives and ¼ cup of chopped parsley. It’s equally good slathered thickly on the inside of a fried egg sandwich or added to an omelet with crumbled feta or a dollop of creamy ricotta.
For an all-purpose butter mix, blend 1 teaspoon of finely minced peel with 4 tablespoons of softened butter. Melt over fish, chicken, blanched greens, rice or pasta—there’s little the combo doesn’t match.
Preserved lemon’s piquancy helps cut through starchy grains. Chop up and fold a spoonful into bulgur or couscous. Try adding 1 tablespoon of chopped peel to our Herb-and-Pistachio Couscous, instead of the recipe’s minced jalapeño peppers.
If you want to improvise with preserved lemon, remember that the pulp and peel should be used separately. The soft pulp can be mashed and stirred into soups, stews, dressings and sauces. The firmer, stronger-flavored rind should be diced and cooked for a bit in dishes to soften its texture and disperse its flavor—or minced very fine to not be overpowering.
Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Best Ways to Use Preserved Lemons

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