Prepare these remarkable pickles for a Moroccan tagine or to flavor a seafood soup, a vegetable salad, a poached chicken, or a stuffing. Preserved lemons will keep for 1 year as long as they are completely covered with salted juice and not contaminated by bacteria. For this reason, remove the lemons not with your fingers but with clean, dry tongs.
Measure:
1/3 cup salt, preferably coarse salt
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the salt into a sterilized widemouthed quart jar. Wash, dry, remove any stem bits, and set in a warm oven for 5 minutes to finish drying (moisture in the peel can cause spoilage):
2 pounds ripe, juicy lemons
Roll the lemons on the counter to release their juice. Quarter a lemon lengthwise, stopping 1/2 inch from the bottom so the quarters fan out but remain attached at one end. Gently open the lemon and sprinkle the 8 surfaces with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Carefuly squeeze the lemonΓÇÖs juice into a bowlΓÇöa wooden reamer is the ideal tool, or squeeze with your hands. Close the lemon, pack into the jar, and add its juice. Continue with the remaining lemons, sprinkling each layer with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. If the juice does not cover the lemons when all are in the jar, it is imperative to add:
Lemon juice to cover
Leave a 1/2-inch space at the top of the jar. Force out the air bubbles by sliding a narrow spatula between the lemons and the side of the jar. Slowly turn the jar while moving the spatula up and down, forcing up any bubbles of air. Be sure the lemons are still covered with liquid and there is only a 1/2-inch head space. If necessary, add more liquid and force out the bubbles again. Wipe the rim of the jar. Fold a square of plastic wrap to make 4 layers and place over the top, then tightly cap the jar. Place on a saucer in a warm placeΓÇöit can be in the sunΓÇöand cure for 1 month. Each day, turn the jar upside down to redistribute the salted juice. After the curing period, refrigerate, or keep in a cool, dry place. To serve a lemon, rinse under cold running water. When the lemons are all gone, add the juice to salad dressing.
