Lamoun Makbouss Pickled Lemons Recipes

LAMOUN MAKBOUSS - PICKLED LEMONS

Steps:

• Thinly slice lemons, and place in a colander or on a cutting board set at an angle, with paper towels underneath to catch the liquid. Generously over with salt, and allow to sit until tender and slightly translucent.
• Arrange lemon slices in a glass jar in layers. I like to line the walls of the jar with vertical lemon slices, too, just to make it pretty, especially if giving as a gift.
• Pour oil in jar to cover lemons, and place lid on tightly.
• These can be used in as little as two days, but will drastically improve for up to three weeks. I don't really know how long they keep, because I've never had them go bad before they get used.
• Pickled lemons can be used in stews, in the cavity of roasted chickens, or chopped fine and stirred into yogurt as a lovely dip for vegetables and pita bread.

QUICK PRESERVED LEMONS

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.

PICKLED PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Quarter each lemon from top to within 1/2 inch of bottom so that slices are still attached to bottom of lemon.
• Rub salt on exposed flesh and re-form.
• Place 2 tablespoons of salt on the bottom of a jar (size of the lemons will determine the size of jar needed).
• Pack lemons in layers, alternating with salt, until jar is full. Add fresh lemon juice, if necessary, to cover lemons.
• Close jar and store on a shelf.
• Occasionally turn jar over to redistribute salt.
• Lemons can be used in two weeks and will keep unrefrigerated for a year.
• To use, rinse slices under cold water to remove salt.
• Remove and discard pulp.
• Use rind as a flavoring agent, cutting it up to spike up a vegetable salad or to add to the pan when you are deglazing after sauteing meats or fish.

PICKLED LEMONS

Steps:

• Wash and slice lemons into about six slices cutting from tip to tip, and pack tightly into sterilised jars (this can be doing by bringing the jars and lids to the boil for 10 minutes).
• mix the water, salt and vinegar together and boil for 6 minutes.
• leave to slightly cool then fill up the jars with the liquid, and keep for about a month in a cupboard before using. This recipe does 2-3 jars.