Preserving lemons plus a recipe

I find the end of January challenging to move through. It is, in part, post-holiday euphoria as well as the muddy and foggy nature of the transitioning season. Yesterday I found the heads of snowdrops popping to the surface of my garden, ready to make their seasonal appearance. They tell me that  things will soon start looking brighter. In the meantime I have been taking some classes on Creativebug to get my juices flowing. Usually January is a season of creative rut for me. My current project is making washable paper wallets, and once I get the snaps attached I will share some of those silly creations.

Ayuvedically speaking, January is the season of transition. We are still in the full swing of winter but starting to dip our toes into spring. Spring season bring muddy conditions, which in my household reflects in colds and lots of coughs. The antidote to this is usually my cooking and all the essential homemade ingredients. Once again, Trader Joe's carries their Meyer lemons and I am reminded to refresh my preserves as it is typically hard to find Meyer lemons during other seasons. You might have read my previous post from the fall, which included the recipe.

Packing quartered lemons with kosher salt (quarters should be still attached at the base)

Stuff lemons tightly into a jar and submerge in lemon juice

Leave lemons undisturbed for 4-5 weeks

They really need to sit in a dark cool place for about 4 weeks to get really mellow and ready for cooking. I have learned to use these preserved lemons every time a recipe calls for a lemon. The taste is much more wholesome, less acidic, and with more depth. 

My Moroccan chicken recipe is as followed:

Chicken (you can use a whole chicken cup up into pieces, chicken legs, thighs etc)

1 lg chopped onion

2 carrots, cut into chunks

1/2 bag frozen petit green peas

1 tbsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ginger

1tsp ground coriander

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

1/2 preserved lemon (finely chopped)

A few fresh tomatoes or a can of chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)

1. Heat up cast iron pot on high heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Sauté chicken on medium high heat on both sides. Remove chicken to a plate.

2. Add onion and sauté until soften and then add carrots.

3. Put chicken back into the pot with all the remaining juices and add turmeric, ginger, coriander, bay leaves, salt and pepper to the chicken and cook for about a minute, until all is well coated. 

4. Add preserved lemon, tomatoes, and petit green peas. Add 1/2 cup of water (or white wine optional) and cook for about an 1 1/2 hour on the stove top. 

5. When chicken is done, finish seasoning it according to your own taste with more salt and pepper. Sprinkle chopped parsley and serve with rice or potatoes or just bread.

Note: There are many busy nights in our household and some nights I use the pressure cooker. I use the high pressure setting for about 20-25 minutes. When using pressure cooker, I just combine all ingredients without any additional steps. It is simple, straight forward and absolutely delicious. Just like with anything new, please be patient with the process and keep practicing. 

Another quick variation of the recipe is to create a marinate.

Combine 2 cups of buttermilk with all the above spices (no vegetables). Place with chicken into a large bowl or a zip lock bag and marinate in a refrigerator for an hour or more. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking and let sit at a room temperature. Remove chicken from the marinate and place into a baking dish or on a baking sheet and roast in a pre heated oven at 400F for about 40-45 minutes. Makes for another great weekday meal.