Recipes using salt cured lemons

I just packed a pint of lemons and salt. In a month they will be salt cured lemons. I only have one recipe that uses them, and I am wondering what else I can do once they’re ready. Thanks very much

Moroccan Chicken is what I have done in the past.  It will take some searching to find it.  I will be posting it soon, in the meantime, what do you do with them?

I use them, when I have them in coleslaw or salads, diced fine. On fish when I bake/grill it. Under the skin on a roast chicken/turkey.

You can make mayonnaise with them.

And like this:

Julia said, "A couple of fermented lemon wedges blended into paste, then dribble in oil as the blender runs (probably avocado oil, I can get that at Costco) and it makes a wonderful salad dressing!

https://permies.com/t/40/37682/kitchen/discussion-lacto-fermentation-methods-recipes#350407

I also found this to use Moroccan Lemons:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/moroccan-recipes-with-preserved-lemon-2394296

I find I use them for dishes that require lemon zest or juice, especially meat dishes.  

Our current favourite is pork chops with apples.  
2 pork chops (one per person)
2 apples
2 slices of pickled lemon
2 cloves of garlic (or more)
oil/fat
salt and pepper to taste

- Brown pork chops in a fry pan on the stove (but the pan needs too be oven safe).  Season with salt and pepper
- While that's cooking, have your other person cut and core the apples.  
- When meat is brown, remove from heat, toss the apples and garlic in the pan.  Put a slice of pickled lemon on top of each chop.  If the pan has an oven-safe lid, put that on, or use foil to cover.
- bake at 460 for 20-25 min.  

As a side note, I like to slice the lemons before pickling that way I can remove the seeds.  Others in the house don't mind the seeds, but they bother me.  Also, I can try to grow them into more trees.

Thank you all!

They will soon be incorporated my cooking with all these ideas, like using pesto, whether garlic scape, cilantro, parsley or basil… reach for it for flavor.

And funny me, I cut the lemons into 6 sections, and don’t bother with the seeds.

I use those lemons in so many dishes.
1. Try adding a few, that you slice into very thin strips, the next time you make a creamy mushroom sauce. It is  very yummy.
2. Add it to steamed fish pouches. Again, slice them thinly and mix with julienned carrots, leeks, and peppers. Wrap them up with the fish in parchment paper and bake them.
3. Try adding a little to lemon bars. It gives them a slight salt kick that’s out of this word.
4. Use them for making roast chicken. Squeeze or pour out some of the brine, and mix it with thyme, garlic, salt and olive oil. Spread that mix over the chickens. Take the peels and leftovers after you squeeze them. Slice into chunks, and mix with onions, garlic  and lots of thyme. Stuff the chicken with this mix and bake as usual. The dripping from this is amazing.
5. Purée some and use it in soups that needs a little kick. It’s great in Asian flavored soups, and soups with chicken and or seafood.
6. Use the purée in salad dressings and marinades (they are great for taco meats.
7. Use a little in smoothies for a kick of probiotics, healthy salt and vitamin c.

I hope this helps.

I mince the fermented lemons fine and stir them into cooked white beans, along with minced garlic and parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm as a side dish, cool as a salad, or as a bruschetta topping.

Still more great ideas!

Thank you

I made lemons in salt too. And use them mostly in salads (as part of the dressing).

Scott Luedtke wrote:I mince the fermented lemons fine and stir them into cooked white beans, along with minced garlic and parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm as a side dish, cool as a salad, or as a bruschetta topping.

Great tip. Congratulations on you first post, and welcome.

r ranson wrote:As a side note, I like to slice the lemons before pickling that way I can remove the seeds.

I just used this technique for the first time with this winter's batch of fermented lemons!  I previously cut them into quarters, which left a messy job of picking the seeds out of every piece as I later fished it out of the brine.  I think slicing them is a much better option, and it fits more lemon into a jar.  And the slices sure look pretty in the jar as well!

Every winter I visit my parents in Florida and can usually score a bag of fresh Meyer lemons.  They have a tree, as do a couple of neighbors.  These are the best lemons in my opinion, and they make the best preserved lemon as well.

In the past, I have mostly used my preserved lemons in salads and salad dressing.  But a few other recipes have popped up, mostly North African-inspired.  I used some once in a marinade for roast lamb that was sensational.  Here is the recipe, as stolen from somewhere on the internet, with cooking notes:

INGREDIENTS:
For the Lamb and Marinade
• 9-11 lbs bone-in leg of lamb, trimmed of any membrane
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ⅓ C fruity-tasting olive oil
• 1 medium-to-large fermented lemon, diced [if needed, can sub ⅓ C lemon juice + 1 TBS lemon zest + pinch extra salt]
• 2 TBS minced garlic
• 1 TBS harissa paste
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin

For the Mint Dressing
• 1½ C Greek yogurt
• 2 large sprigs mint, finely minced
• 1 TBS mint sauce [if needed, can sub pinches of more mint, sugar, vinegar]
• 1½ TBS lemon juice
• 2 TBS walnut oil [can sub olive oil, but the milder taste of walnut oil is preferred]
• ½ tsp white pepper
• ½ tsp salt

PREPARATION:
1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowel.  Refrigerate.
2. Score meaty side of lamb in a diamond pattern of ¼-inch-deep cuts about 1½ inches apart.  Place scored-side up in a large roasting pan.

[NOTE: Don’t you normally score the fatty side of a meat roast? That’s what we did and it worked well].  

3. In a blender, puree all marinade ingredients - olive oil, lemon, garlic, harissa, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper - until smooth.
4. Massage marinade into crevices of lamb on both sides.  Cover pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate several hours or preferably overnight.
5. Remove from refrigerator 2 hours before cooking to return lamb to room temperature.  During last 15 minutes, heat oven to 450 degrees.
6. Remove foil and place pan on middle oven rack.  Turn heat down to 350 degrees.
7. For medium-rare, roast the lamb, basting with pan juices every ½ hour, until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 125-130 degrees, about 1¾ hours total.
8. Remove from oven, tent loosely with foil, and let rest 15 minutes before carving.  Serve with mint dressing.

[NOTE: 9-11 lbs is a very big leg of lamb, even bone-in.  That is likely closer to mutton.  If shopping for lamb at a supermarket, expect to find no more than a 4-5lb leg.  We used a full recipe of marinade on a 5lb leg and it worked well: plenty spicy and flavorful, but not overpowering.  Cooking time MUST be adjusted, however: our leg was beautifully crispy brown yet medium-rare after 1h 20m.]

I'm using up some old ones, so I throw some into soup stock to give it more depth of flavor.