Name: Quick Preserved Lemons
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 3 lemons , rinsed; 2 cups water; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup kosher salt

Why This Recipe Works

Traditional preserved lemons, a staple of Moroccan cuisine, are a great example of the transformative powers of salt and time. Whole lemons are slit open with a knife, packed with salt, and then stored for weeks to ferment (this is another example of lacto-fermentation, the process responsible for our Fermented Beets and Beet Kvass). They’re a great pantry item to have in the fridge, ready to be used in stews, vinaigrettes, and sauces. But what do you do if you don’t have a jar in your fridge nor a month to wait for a new batch to be ready? You cheat with this quick preserved lemon technique. For this preserved lemon hack, we ditch the slow lacto-fermentation process for a hot brine similar to the one we use to make vinegar pickles (see: Pickled Red Onions). In this case, a salt-sugar brine is poured over thinly sliced lemons. Hours—not weeks—later, the lemons are tender, salty, sweet, sour and ready to use. The flavor of these quick lemons is cleaner and more straightforward than the fermented version, making them particularly versatile. They add intense lemon flavor and brightness to our Brined Grilled Asparagus with Preserved Lemon Aïoli.

Photography by Steve Klise

Before You Begin

We highly recommend using a mandoline to slice the lemons for this recipe. Lemons sliced with a knife won’t be as thin and will need to brine longer before they are ready for use.

Instructions

If using mandoline, slice lemons into 1/16-inch-thick rounds. If using sharp knife, slice lemons into rounds as thin as possible. Pick out and discard seeds. Transfer lemons to heat-resistant 2-quart jar or container. Bring water, sugar, and salt to boil in medium saucepan over high heat, whisking frequently to dissolve sugar and salt, 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour hot brine over lemons and let cool for 20 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until lemons are soft and seasoned throughout, at least 16 hours for 1/16-inch-thick rounds or at least 36 hours for ⅛- to ¼-inch-thick rounds. (Lemons can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.)