Taste of Morocco

A Taste Of Morocco

We are happy to announce that our first event "taste of Morocco" at Mi Casa Supper Club is sold out...We will be sharing with you all the delicious dishes we will be serving on the Jan 23...But keep in mind that we will be hosting an other Moroccan supper sometimes in March with all new fabulous dishes...BTW, just finished preserving our Moroccan lemons for 2013 and here is a step by step on how to make your own preserved lemons. 

                                           STEP #1 CLEAN IT

I prefer Meyer lemons because they are thin-skinned and a bit sweeter and mellower than common supermarket lemons. But either variety of lemon will work. Washing, scrubbing, and drying the lemons well is important because that’s the part of preserved lemons that you eat.

STEP #2 QUARTER IT

From my experience, cutting them into quarters, leaving about 1 inch of the bottom of the lemon intact, so that you can pack the lemon well with salt. I do this by holding the lemon upright, then slicing it in half lengthwise, stopping about 1 inch from the bottom. I then rotate the lemon and do the same thing (creating an X). Then I gently pull the quarters slightly apart, being careful not to detach it at the base.

STEP #3 SALT IT

Some recipes pack the whole jar with copious amounts of salt. However, I find that filling the cavity of each lemon with about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt is enough to cure the lemons in about six to eight weeks and avoids making them overly salty.

STEP #4 CONTAIN IT

Rub and squeeze each lemon over a bowl, grinding the salt into the flesh of the lemon to get the juices flowing. Place the lemons into a clean 1-quart glass jar and pour any of the accumulated salt and juice into the jar with the lemons.

                                        STEP #5 SUBMERGE IT

Juice a bunch of extra lemons until you have about 1½ cups of lemon juice. (You’ll need to juice around 8 lemons to get this much.) Pour the lemon juice over the salted lemons until they are submerged, and gently press them down. Cover the jar with the lid to seal tightly and place the jar in the refrigerator.

 STEP #6 CURE IT

Now be patient and wait. The lemons will soften, deflate a bit, change texture, and begin to glisten. When the lemons are ready (start checking around six weeks) they should look like this. If not, put them back and let them cure a little longer. As they deflate and become softer, the lemons might start to float above the liquid. This is fine; just shake the jar occasionally to rearrange them so the same bit isn't always above the surface.

                                              STEP #7 USE IT

When I’m ready to put a little to use, I first remove the flesh and pith with a knife and use just the rind. Some folks I know like to use all parts of the lemon; experiment and learn what you like. To rinse or not to rinse is another personal preference; rinsing gives a slightly cleaner flavor. Lastly, I slice the preserved lemon rind into thin strips or mince it, depending on the dish. Use as much or as little as you like; I find a quarter of a lemon adds just the right touch of flavor to a vinaigrette or pan sauce.