Preserved lemon (hamad m'rakad in Moroccan Arabic) is a whole lemon packed in salt and left for three to four weeks, until the peel softens and its bitterness turns into a mellow, floral, salty citrus flavor that fresh lemon cannot match. It is the signature seasoning of Moroccan tagines with olives, and it is just as good chopped into grain salads, yogurt sauces, roast chicken and vinaigrettes. Only the rind is normally used; the pulp is salty and soft and usually scraped away.

How to buy

Look for jars of whole or halved preserved lemons in the international aisle of larger supermarkets, Middle Eastern grocers or online. Good jars contain only lemons, salt and lemon juice; avoid ones with vinegar or preservatives, which taste sharp. Small Moroccan or Meyer-type lemons give the softest rind. Making your own is cheap: quarter lemons almost through, pack them with coarse salt in a clean jar, top up with lemon juice and wait four weeks at room temperature.

How to store

Unopened jars keep for a year or more in a cool cupboard. Once opened, keep them in the fridge, submerged in their brine, where they last six months or longer. Always use a clean spoon or fork. A white film on the surface is harmless salt bloom; fuzzy mold or a rotten smell means the jar should go.

Substitutes

  • Quick preserved lemon: simmer thin strips of lemon rind with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons lemon juice for 5 minutes, then cool. Close in aroma, less mellow.
  • Fresh lemon zest plus a pinch of salt, at half the quantity. You lose the fermented depth but keep the citrus lift.
  • A splash of lemon juice and a few chopped green olives for tagines, which restores the salty-sour balance.

How to use

Rinse the lemon, scrape out and discard the pulp, then finely chop or slice the rind. One lemon's rind seasons a stew for four people, so add a little, taste, and add more. Stir it in during the last 10 minutes of cooking so the aroma stays bright, and reduce the salt in the recipe to compensate. A spoonful of the brine is excellent in salad dressings and marinades.

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