Ottolenghi’s Preserved Lemons

This recipe is a lesson in patience, but the longer you wait, the better they taste. Keep it simple. Try them with roast chicken, a simple arugula salad, or a tangy slab of fresh feta pulled straight from the brine bath.

Ottolenghi’s Preserved Lemons

Adapted from Ottolenghi-The Cookbook.

Ingredients

6 lemons, scrubbed
6 T coarse sea salt
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2-4 dried red chilies
juice of 6 lemons
olive oil

Preparation

1. Sterilize a quart jar.
2. Cut a deep cross in the lemons all the way from the top to 3/4” from the bottom, so you are left with four quarters attached.
3. Stuff each lemon with a tablespoonful of salt and place in the jar. It should be a tight fit. Don’t be afraid to squeeze them.
4. Seal the jar and leave for a week on the counter.
5. Carefully remove the lid. Using a wooden spoon or muddler press the lemons as hard as you can to squeeze as much of the juice out as possible.
6. Add the rosemary, chilies and lemon juice. (I used Thai Bird’s Eye chilies.)
7. Cover with a thin layer of olive oil.
8. Seal the jar. Leave in a cool place for at least four weeks.
9. Try it all again with limes!