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Red Onion, Parsley, and Preserved Lemon Salad

4.3

(10)

Preserved lemons, sold ready-made in Moroccan souks, are essential to that country's cuisine. The peel, pulp, and juice squeezed from the lemons can all be used. Sometimes, however, the juice and preserving brine, can be bitter; use fresh lemon juice in that case.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 6 as a first course

Ingredients

3 cups thinly sliced red onions
1/2 cup coarsely fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
peel of 1/8 preserved lemon cut into julienne strips, plus 1/3 cup preserved lemon juice or fresh lemon juice to taste
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
a pinch cayenne, or to taste
coarse salt to taste

Preserved Lemons:

4 large (about 6 ounces each) lemons (preferably thin-skinned), scrubbed
2/3 cup coarse salt
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 5 large lemons)
olive oil

Preparation

  1. To prepare salad:

    Step 1

    In a bowl cover onions with cold water and soak 30 minutes. Drain onions well and pat dry between layers of paper towels. In a bowl stir together onions with remaining ingredients and let stand, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.

  2. To make Paula Wolfert's Seven-Day Preserved Lemons:

    Step 2

    Dry lemons well and cut each into 8 wedges. In a bowl toss wedges with salt and transfer to a glass jar (about 6-cup capacity). Add lemon juice and cover jar with a tight-fitting glass lid or plastic-coated lid. Let lemons stand at room temperature 7 days, shaking jar each day to redistribute salt and juice. Add oil to cover lemons and store, covered and chilled, up to 6 months. Makes 4 preserved lemons.

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