Preserved lemons {Hamad Mraquade}

I really love to make fermented and preserved food, so today I bring you a delicious from African cuisine, specially Moroccan gastronomy, that I’m sure many of you have tasted before. Preserved lemons or Hamad Mraquade.

Make fermented or preserved food is really easy and don´t take too much time (from our work!) The “harder” part from the process is the waiting time to enjoy it. But I think this makes it more attractive, at least for me 😉

What are exactly preserved lemons?

They are lemons exposed a fermenting process under a brine make with it own juice and salt for 4-6 weeks. We can add some spices to get more flavour and aroma.

In this case I used bay leaves, dried red chile, garlic cloves and whole white peppercorns. But, you can change at your choice, it won’t affect to finally fermentation process. It is only to add aroma.

What do I need to make preserved lemons?

Easy.

The first of all a large sterile glass canning jar in which lemons can make the fermentation process. In my case I used an airtight glass container (Fido) 68 fl oz (2 l.). If you think this glass jar is too big, you can use another one smaller and make less lemons.

When I make fermented food I like to do a big amount of them because process is too long.

Use good quality lemons, we are going to work with this ingredient taking special care. It will fermented for a long time to become in a authentic delicacy. The better quality from lemons, the better results you will get.

Salt, to make fermented food I always use coarse sea salt. It is usual think that sea salt is healthier than common salt, because the last one it may be believed more chemical. But you can use salt at your choice.

I have read some articles and finally you understand that salt is salt. A chemical compound created by chlorine and sodium, and all its variations derive from sea origin. It does not matter which kind of salt we use: Maldon, Himalayan pink salt, coarse, black salt… the composition is the same in all cases.

Sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value, despite the fact that sea salt is often promoted as being healthier.

Of course there is a variation, its crystallization. The refinery process that transform salt to make it thinner, for example. Furthermore, salt it has being manipulated by the human to make it more “attractive”: refined salt is bleached in order to obtain the white color, thin and adding minerals…

The composition is the same, so do what you prefer, this is always a debate. But, if it´s possible use a coarse salt.

Continue…

Spices, you can use what you prefer, buy always try to add good quality products.

Once we have all ingredients, start the process.

What happens in the fermenting lemon process?

For the first 48 hours it will happen a process called osmosis in which sugars, minerals and other substances from fermented lemons spread in the brine. These substances will be the feed for bacterias, and these bacterias will create lactic acid. This is the origin from lactic fermentation.

Salt begins to work at this moment, it will change lemons’s texture during the fermentation. This is one of the most important physical aspect from fermentation. For example, Chucrut , its texture after the fermentation process becomes more crunchy.

The more time goes, the better taste.

After fermentation process, how can I preserving them?

Once you open the glass jar, ideally is stored in the fridge. But, you can keep at room temperature as long as they’re fully submerged in lemon juice. Ottolenghi says that it could be covered with a thin layer of olive oil.

Salt helps to remove bad bacterias, so don´t be worry about it 🙂

I’m sure that one of your questions is, which is its flavour? This is difficult because there is nothing similar, I have never tasted something like this. It is  a potent flavour, super concentrate lemon, with a subtle bitter taste (not unpleasant) and salty. In fact, it could be very salty, so you can rinse it before use it in a recipe.

It is usual to use the peel from the lemons, not the flesh. But I have read some recipes in which they use this part too. Jamie Oliver uses preserved lemons instead of salt for some recipes like rice or cous cous. We must try this!