Preserved Lemons Are Key When Sauteing Greens. Here's How To Use Them For The Best Flavor - Tasting Table

"Although it sounds fancy, preserved lemons are just lemons that have been pickled with salt and a variety of spices. One of the best ways to use them is to cut them up and add them to the pan when you're sautéing greens, like kale, spinach, mustard greens, or broccoli. Throw some garlic and olive oil in there, and you'll have a delicious side dish that's bright, tart, and naturally salty."

"You can use an entire preserved lemon, peel included, when cooking about a pound of greens if you want a lot of flavor. Want something a bit more subtle? Just scale back. The salt softens the rind during pickling, so it's actually more common to see this part used in recipes as the pulp can get too mushy and bitter. To use a preserved lemon, simply remove it from the jar, rinse off the brine, take out the pulp, and finely chop or slice the rind."

"Preserved lemons work especially well in North African cuisine. Think one-pan chicken tagine, Moroccan chickpea stew, salads, and couscous dishes. You can use half of a preserved lemon in place of lemon juice in many recipes, or use it to top something like a simple creamy hummus. They're also great in dressings, like a herby lemon vinaigrette, or in punchy cocktails like a tried and true Bloody Mary."

Preserved lemons are lemons pickled with salt and spices, offering a tangy, complex, and naturally salty umami boost. The rind becomes softened by the salt and is commonly used after rinsing, removing the pulp, and finely chopping or slicing. An entire preserved lemon can flavor about a pound of greens, while smaller amounts yield subtler results. Preserved lemons pair well with garlic and olive oil in sautés, enhance roasted root vegetables, and bulk up meals with beans. They suit North African dishes like tagines, chickpea stews, salads, and couscous, and work in dressings, hummus, and cocktails.

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