One of my favourite recipes, especially for larger groups, is Lemon & Olive tagine. Not only do I really love that melt-in-your-mouth chicken that's been slowly marinating and cooking in green olives, dates and preserved lemons for a couple of hours, I love it because I can prepare it hours before, throw it in the oven, and when it's done it's time, I turn the oven off and leave it there until ready to serve. The dish is in no risk of spoiling as the tagine keeps it moist whilst it patiently waits to be served, but it also means I can relax over my G&T and be fully present with our guests (rather than distracted over cooking).
And the "je ne sais quoi" (that "special little something") that makes it such a stand out dish - is without a doubt - preserved lemons.
So quick and easy to make, the lemons basically wallow in their own juices and a ton of flakey sea salt 🫣(plus a few peppercorns and a bay leaf) for a month or two (the longer you leave them the better they get) - and that's it. Hey Presto! They also make a great gift for a "foody friend".
Here's how to make your own preserved lemons:
PRESERVED LEMON RECIPE
To make one jar (jam jar size), you will need:
- At least 4 medium sized lemons (not the waxy kind). The less pith the better.
Cut each lemon into quarters (our small Tadafusa kitchen knives are perfect for this job - I used the petty knife). - 1 tablespoon of flakey sea salt per lemon
- 6 pepper corns
- 1 bay leaf
So if you want to make 4 jars, simply times each ingredient by 4.
METHOD
1. Sterilize your jars & lids (I ensure mine have been washed in the dishwasher and then I put the jars (only) in the oven at 130degrees for a minimum of 5 minutes). I put the lids in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them (letting them sit for 3-5 minutes). I recommend you remove them from the bowl with a fork.
2. Place the sea salt flakes into a medium sized bowl and then place the lemon quarters into the bowl, coating them with the sea salt one at a time.
3. Once coated in salt, force each lemon qtr into a steralised jar. Push as many lemons into the jar as possible, squashing them down and allowing the juice to emerge.
4. When the jar is full (of lemons and their juice), add 6 cloves and 1 bayleaf and then pop the lid on the jar - doing up the lide firmly but no so tight that you can't remove it again.
5. In one weeks time, add additional juice to each jar to fully cover the lemons. Then add a small layer of olive oil on top (to keep out any air) before tightly replacing the lid.
Store for at least 4 weeks before using to allow the flavours to develop. I am still using lemons I preserved last year - and they are still delicious!
Links to some of my favourite Chicken, olive and preserved lemon recipes:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6555-chicken-tagine-with-olives-and-preserved-lemons
https://littleferrarokitchen.com/chicken-tagine-with-preserved-lemons-and-olives/
https://qcwacountrykitchens.com.au/recipe/chicken-tagine-with-preserved-lemons-and-olives/