Also known as the condiment of Morocco, this fantastic ingredient is a staple to many North African dishes. Preserving came out of the need to keep something around after the season has ended and the ability to transport to places far from where they originated, like England! So by salting and brining the lemons they could keep them around for another year until fresh lemons to come back into season.

Traditionally preserved lemon is a key ingredient in a Tagine. But, we have seen it used on fish, grilled meats, salads and even cocktails. I am a big fan of the dirty martini and have found that the brining juice from the preserved lemons is a fantastic substitute for my olive juice. They can be strong and salty so cut them up to the appropriate size depending on what you are cooking.

Today it is easy to find preserved lemon in specialty stores or on-line or you can preserve them yourself. During this research process I found a great Morrocan site called Zamouri Spices, www.zamourispices.com. There you can find spices, Tagines and Cookware, Oil, recipes and more. I even found preserved lemons on Amazon! Who knew?

We also recommend some great cookbooks like The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen by Paula Wolfert and Flavors of Morocco by Ghillie Basan and Peter Cassidy.