Agree, the desire to pickle lemons will come to mind by no means every average culinary specialist in our regions. However, in North Africa, this specialty is highly regarded among gourmets and ordinary connoisseurs of tasty and healthy food.
Tasty snack
We are used to the fact that salting of certain foods implies, first of all, the possibility of their long-term storage. We salt and pickle cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini and other vegetables for the winter to provide ourselves with tasty and simple snacks in the cold season, during the relative shortage of fruits and vegetables. And it seems strange that the inhabitants of Africa, who should not have a lack of citruses in principle all year round, salt lemons for the winter.
Salted lemons are a Moroccan delicacy served with meat, fish, cereals, soups and pastries.
However, it should be noted right away that African culinary specialists, especially Moroccan ones, do not harvest salted lemons at all in order to regale themselves with original citrus fruits during a shortage. The thing is that salty lemons for Moroccans and lovers of the national cuisine of this country are a delicious appetizer. So tasty that it is added to various soups, sauces, meat, fish, cereals, etc.
If we prefer pickles in the form of pickled tomatoes or cucumbers as an appetizer to strong alcohol, and, for example, Italians add their salty specialty - olives - and pizza, and pasta, and assorted snacks to wine, then Moroccans value their citrus pickles for absolutely magical property - to improve the taste of any dish. Even desserts (this is confirmed by those who at least once tried to sprinkle cream ice cream with grated Parmesan and added a couple of slices of salty lemon to this dish)!
There are several methods for salting lemons, including pickling in juice, saline, and olive oil.
To make sure of all the above personally, you have to do only one thing - prepare these same lemons. Fortunately, all the ingredients for this African delicacy can be easily found in our supermarkets or in the market.
Ingredients
For 10 small lemons you will need:
- 200 g of coarse sea salt;
- 4 bay leaves;
- 2 cinnamon sticks;
- a handful of black pepper peas.
Cooking
Squeeze the juice from two or three lemons into a jar (you can take either one large three-liter jar, or several smaller ones, and then distribute the juice of three lemons evenly over them). The remaining lemons are cut crosswise on one side and the salt is poured into the formed cuts. Sprinkle generously, squeezing the lemons lightly so that the salt mixes the salt with the juice.
For salting, it is best to take small juicy lemons.
Next, you need to put the lemons in a jar of juice, send bay leaves, crushed cinnamon and peppercorns to the same place. Top up with a jar of water. To fill it to the neck. Please note that lemons must be completely covered with brine!
Video: Moroccan salted lemons
Now your task is to put the lemons in a dark cupboard and leave them there for a month or a little more. Shake the jars every 4-5 days so that the salt is evenly distributed over the lemons and marinade.
Well, after a month, lemons are ready to eat. They need to be stored in the refrigerator, carefully making sure that the brine covers the fruits. Otherwise, your delicacy runs the risk of mold!
Remember that you will need sea salt with large crystals - table salt will not give the authentic taste that Moroccan housewives get.
Remember that the flesh of such lemons is not consumed. Only spicy, perfectly salted peel is used. Therefore, before. How to eat lemons or add them to certain dishes, rinse them thoroughly under running water to free from slimy pulp and excess salt.
It is believed that the longer lemons are salted in the marinade, the tastier they are! Add them to meat, eat with barbecue, as part of hodgepodge, borsch, pickle, chop into porridge or serve with pasta or dumplings sauce. Bon Appetit!
