Best 5 Preserved Meyer Lemons Recipes

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**Introducing Preserved Meyer Lemons: A Culinary Delight and Versatile Ingredient**

Preserved Meyer lemons, with their vibrant yellow hue and aromatic zest, are a unique and versatile ingredient that adds a burst of flavor to various culinary creations. Originating from China, these lemons are smaller and rounder than regular lemons, boasting a sweeter and less acidic taste profile. Preserving Meyer lemons through a simple process of curing in a salt and sugar mixture enhances their natural flavors, creating a delightful balance of sweet and savory notes. This article presents a collection of carefully curated recipes that showcase the culinary versatility of preserved Meyer lemons. From savory main courses to refreshing beverages and delectable desserts, these recipes highlight the unique characteristics of this extraordinary ingredient. Embark on a culinary journey and discover the endless possibilities of preserved Meyer lemons, transforming ordinary dishes into extraordinary taste experiences.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

QUICK PRESERVED LEMONS



Quick Preserved Lemons image

Provided by Alton Brown

Time P8D

Yield 1 pint

Number Of Ingredients 2

4 lemons, scrubbed and dried, plus the juice of 1 lemon, if necessary
40 grams kosher salt

Steps:

  • Trim the ends off the lemons. Slice each lemon into 8 wedges, removing any seeds as you go. Reserve as much of the juice as possible.
  • Layer the lemon wedges in a wide-mouthed 16-ounce canning jar, covering each layer with salt. Pack the jar as tightly as possible, pressing down to release the lemons' juice as you go and leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace in the jar.
  • Cover the wedges with the reserved lemon juice from the cutting board and the ends. If your lemons do not release a significant amount of juice, top off the jar with the juice of another lemon.
  • Stash in the refrigerator for 4 days, then flip the jar over and age another 4 days before sampling. The peel should be nice and soft. Rinse before using.

PRESERVED MEYER LEMONS



Preserved Meyer Lemons image

Categories     Citrus     Fruit     Vegetarian     Lemon     Winter     Chill     Gourmet

Yield Makes 48 pieces

Number Of Ingredients 4

2 1/2 to 3 pounds Meyer lemons (10 to 12)
2/3 cup coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Special equipment: 6-cup jar with tight-fitting lid

Steps:

  • Blanch 6 lemons in boiling water 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut lemons into 8 wedges each and discard seeds. Toss with salt in a bowl and pack into jar.
  • Squeeze enough juice from remaining lemons to measure 1 cup. Add enough juice to cover lemons and cover jar with lid. Let stand at room temperature, shaking gently once a day, 5 days. Add oil and chill.

PRESERVED MEYER LEMONS



Preserved Meyer Lemons image

Preserving a Meyer lemon captures its glorious perfume. We've adapted cookbook author Paula Wolfert's quick method, our favorite, and made it even faster by blanching the lemons first. The rind of a preserved lemon is a common ingredient in Moroccan dishes; we also love it in all kinds of soups, stews, and salads and as a low-fat alternative to olives. Save the pulp for Bloody Marys or anything else enlivened by a little lemon juice and salt. Tip: There are some recipes for preserving lemons that call for you to slice the lemon, but not all the way through and pack it with the salt. This is not one of them. You will need a VERY sharp knife to cut the Meyer's into wedges, as they will be especially soft after blanching them. And you want to get rid of the seeds. No preserving of the seeds. Use a flexible cutting board to cut them on so you can save some of the juice that collects from cutting them. You can use some of that to help with the packing of the lemons. This recipe is adapted from epicurious.com. You can use pint jars or quart jars, it's your preference. I used pint canning jars, and kept some and gave some away as gifts. You may prefer to use one large canning jar to pack your lemons into.

Provided by Citruholic

Categories     Moroccan

Time P5DT15m

Yield 48 pieces, 48 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 4

2 1/2-3 lbs meyer lemons (10 to 12)
2/3 cup coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil
canning jar (pint, quart, your preference)

Steps:

  • Blanch 6 Meyer lemons in boiling water 5 minutes.
  • When cool enough to handle, cut lemons into 8 wedges each and discard seeds. Toss with salt in a bowl and pack into jar(s).
  • Squeeze enough juice from remaining lemons to measure 1 cup.
  • Add enough juice to cover lemons and cover jar(s) with lid. Let stand at room temperature, shaking gently once a day, 5 days. Add oil and chill.
  • Cooks' note:.
  • • Preserved lemons keep, chilled, up to 1 year.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 16.8, Fat 1.2, SaturatedFat 0.2, Sodium 1573.1, Carbohydrate 2.2, Fiber 0.7, Sugar 0.6, Protein 0.3

PRESERVED LEMONS



Preserved Lemons image

This is Paula Wolfert's original recipe from her 1973 book "Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco," but I leave out the warm spices like cinnamon and cardamom so that the flavors are adaptable. The brightness of this pickle has lately elbowed its way out of Morocco's tagines. New York chefs add the minced peel to salads and garnish fried seafood with it; the cured-lemon flavor is particularly friendly to salmon, carrots, olives, parsley and potatoes. The lemony brine is great in a bloody mary.

Provided by Julia Moskin

Categories     condiments

Time 15m

Number Of Ingredients 4

9 organic lemons
Kosher salt
1 heaping teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves

Steps:

  • Scrub 3 to 5 organic lemons, enough to fit snugly in a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid (have 2 to 4 more ready on the side). Slice each lemon from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom, almost cutting them into quarters but leaving them attached at one end. Rub kosher salt over the cut surfaces, then reshape the fruit. Cover the bottom of the jar with more kosher salt. Fit all the cut lemons in, breaking them apart if necessary. Sprinkle salt on each layer.
  • Press the lemons down to release their juices. Add to the jar the peppercorns and bay leaves, then squeeze the additional lemons into the jar until juice covers everything.
  • Close the jar and let ripen at cool room temperature, shaking the jar every day for 3 to 4 weeks, or until the rinds are tender to the bite. Then store it in the refrigerator.
  • To use, remove a piece of lemon and rinse it. (Add more fresh lemons to the brine as you use them up.) The minced rind is added at the very end of cooking or used raw; the pulp can be added to a simmering pot.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 81, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 1 gram, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 612 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams

PRESERVED LEMONS



Preserved Lemons image

Preserved lemons, sold loose in the souks, are one of the indispensable ingredients of Moroccan cooking, used in fragrant lamb and vegetable tagines, recipes for chicken with lemons and olives , and salads.

Provided by Paula Wolfert

Categories     Citrus     Condiment     Lemon     Spice

Yield Serves 6; makes about 1 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 13

5 lemons
1/4 cup salt, more if desired
Optional Safi mixture:
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
5 to 6 coriander seeds
3 to 4 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, if necessary
EQUIPMENT:
Shallow bowl
Sterile 1-pint mason jar
Sharp knife

Steps:

  • 1. If you wish to soften the peel, soak the lemons in lukewarm water for 3 days, changing the water daily.
  • 2. Quarter the lemons from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom, sprinkle salt on the exposed flesh, then reshape the fruit.
  • 3. Place 1 tablespoon salt on the bottom of the mason jar. Pack in the lemons and push them down, adding more salt, and the optional spices between layers. Press the lemons down to release their juices and to make room for the remaining lemons. (If the juice released from the squashed fruit does not cover them, add freshly squeezed lemon juice - not chemically produced lemon juice and not water.*) Leave some air space before sealing the jar.
  • 4. Let the lemons ripen in a warm place, shaking the jar each day to distribute the salt and juice. Let ripen for 30 days. To use, rinse the lemons, as needed, under running water, removing and discarding the pulp, if desired - and there is no need to refrigerate after opening. Preserved lemons will keep up to a year, and the pickling juice can be used two or three times over the course of a year.
  • According to the late Michael Field, the best way to extract the maximum amount of juice from a lemon is to boil it in water for 2 or 3 minutes and allow it to cool before squeezing.
  • Paula Wolfert shares her tips with Epicurious:
  • •Located on Morocco's Atlantic coast, south of Casablanca and north of Essaouira, the city of Safi is known for its seafood specialties. •To most closely approximate the flavor of Moroccan lemons, Wolfert recommends Meyer lemons for this recipe. This lemon/mandarin orange hybrid, in season in January and February, has yellow-orange flesh, a smooth rind, and a sweeter flavor than other lemons. •To sterilize a mason jar for the lemons, place it upside down in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes. Using tongs (wrap the ends in rubber bands for a better grip), remove the hot jar and dry it upside down on a paper towel-lined baking sheet in a warm oven. To sterilize the jar's top, boil it in water for 5 minutes, then remove with tongs. For more information on home canning, click here. •When you're ready to use a lemon, remove it with clean utensils to avoid contaminating the inside of the jar with bacteria. This way, the remaining contents of the jar will not need to be refrigerated.

Tips:

  • Choose the right lemons: Meyer lemons are the best choice for preserving, as they have a thin skin and a sweet, tart flavor. If you can't find Meyer lemons, you can use regular lemons, but you may need to adjust the amount of sugar in the recipe.
  • Use a clean jar: The jar you use to store your preserved lemons should be clean and sterilized. You can sterilize a jar by boiling it in water for 10 minutes.
  • Pack the lemons tightly: When you're packing the lemons into the jar, make sure to pack them tightly so that there is no air space between them. This will help to prevent spoilage.
  • Cover the lemons with brine: The brine you use to cover the lemons should be made with equal parts water and white vinegar. You can also add some spices, such as bay leaves, peppercorns, and cloves, to the brine for extra flavor.
  • Store the lemons in a cool, dark place: Once the lemons are covered with brine, store them in a cool, dark place for at least 4 weeks. The longer you store them, the more flavorful they will become.

Conclusion:

Preserved lemons are a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. They can be added to salads, pasta dishes, chicken dishes, and fish dishes. They can also be used to make sauces, dressings, and marinades. If you're looking for a way to add a unique flavor to your dishes, preserved lemons are a great option.

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