Do you know that salting is one of the oldest methods of preserving food? And there was a time when people were even paid with this white treasure for their work. Salt allowed food to be stored for a long time to provide for the family throughout the year. Lemons were first preserved in hot countries, where, due to climatic conditions, food deteriorates much faster. In the process of gastronomic experiments, it became clear that such a dish has an independent gastronomic value. Today, lemons are salted not only in Morocco or Tunisia, but all over the world in order to give a citrus taste to marinades for meat, poultry, and fish, to season salads with them, and of course as an integral part of Moroccan tagines, and other stews or baked dishes.
Do you know that salting is one of the oldest methods of preserving food? And there was a time when people were even paid with this white treasure for their work. Salt allowed food to be stored for a long time to provide for the family throughout the year. Lemons were first preserved in hot countries, where, due to climatic conditions, food deteriorates much faster. In the process of gastronomic experiments, it became clear that such a dish has an independent gastronomic value. Today, lemons are salted not only in Morocco or Tunisia, but all over the world in order to give a citrus taste to marinades for meat, poultry, and fish, to season salads with them, and of course as an integral part of Moroccan tagines, and other stews or baked dishes.- Prep time: 5 minutes + 3 months’ ripening
- Cook time: 5 minutes
- Makes: 1 jar
- Difficulty: easy
- Course: appetizer
- Cookware: knife, 350ml jar
- Cuisine: French-Moroccan
Ingredients
- 3 small lemons
- 10 tsp sea salt
Cooking method
Step 1
Wash the lemons well and pat dry. If the lemons are waxed, put them in a bowl, pour boiling water over them and leave for 1 minute. Then rinse under running water. Quarter the lemons from the top to within 1cm of the bottom, so as not to cut the lemon completely.
Step 2
Open the lemon, add 3 tsp salt and close the lemon by squeezing. Place the lemons in a clean, dry jar, so that they press tightly against each other. Pour 1 tsp salt on top. Close the jar. Store lemons in a dark, dry place, shaking the jar gently from time to time. After 3 months, the lemons will be ready to use.
My tips and tricks:
Don’t make one huge jar with a lot of salted lemons. Better to make a few small, 2-3 lemons each. Whatever you cook, you hardly need a large amount, and once you open the jar, you won’t be able to store them for a long time. And if your guests suddenly become lemon maniacs, just open two at once 🙂
- 3 small lemons
- 10 tsp sea salt
- Wash the lemons well and pat dry. If the lemons are waxed, put them in a bowl, pour boiling water over them and leave for 1 minute. Then rinse under running water. Quarter the lemons from the top to within 1cm of the bottom, so as not to cut the lemon completely.
- Open the lemon, add 3 tsp salt and close the lemon by squeezing. Place the lemons in a clean, dry jar, so that they press tightly against each other. Pour 1 tsp salt on top. Close the jar. Store lemons in a dark, dry place, shaking the jar gently from time to time. After 3 months, the lemons will be ready to use.