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Preserved Lemons Recipe: Ottolenghi’s Quick Lemon Paste

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Sep 13, 2024 • 2 min read

For a hint of zest across a variety of recipes ranging from sweet to savory (and cocktails, too!), consider a batch of this quick and easy gluten-free citrus condiment made of fresh lemons and salt.

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What Are Preserved Lemons?

Preserving lemons opens a whole new avenue in terms of flavor. The combination of salt, fresh lemon juice, and time softens and breaks down the lemon skin, rinds, and peels, and turns it into a sharp, aromatic treat with a bright taste. The lovely lemon flavor cuts through bitterness; the pulp also acts as a natural thickener.

How to Use Preserved Lemons

Chef Yotam Ottolenghi stirs preserved lemon into dressings and sauces, mixes it into yogurt, and even uses it with roasted vegetables (see his recipe for Roasted Eggplant Salad with Quick Lemon Paste and Quick-Pickled Chilies. But you can also add a touch of tartness and uplevel the following from ordinary to gourmet dishes.

  • A glaze for cookies, muffins, and scones
  • As frosting for cakes
  • With garlic, as cream sauce for pasta
  • An infusion with other herbs and spices, from bay leaves to peppercorns, coriander seeds or cinnamon sticks
  • Squeezing into salad dressing
  • As layers of citrus flavor in slow-cooked stews
  • In frozen treats, like smoothies or sorbets
  • With a hint of cane sugar for a pure lemonade (or into a whiskey cocktail for an upscale Bee’s Knees)
  • To add a complex flavor to dips like hummus

Where to Buy Preserved Lemons

You can buy preserved lemons at many stores or you can make them yourself, but bear in mind that they take time: two to three weeks of preserving in order for the flavors to fully develop. But Ottolenghi has figured out a convenient way to speed things up, creating a quick-preserved lemon that’s similar in flavor and aroma.

Ottolenghi’s Quick Lemon Paste (Preserved Lemons) Recipe

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makes

4 tbsp paste

Ingredients

The technique calls for boiling thin slices of lemon with fresh lemon juice and salt, then blitzing them in a food processor or blender until you have a thick, spreadable paste. The end result keeps for weeks in the refrigerator.

  1. 1

    Rinse lemons. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Simmer until salt is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until the lemon rinds start to look translucent, about 12 minutes.

  2. 2

    Set aside to cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor (or blender) and blitz until smooth and thick. Add a tablespoon of water if you need to thin out the mixture; the result should be spreadable paste.

  3. 3

    Transfer the preserved lemon paste (at room temperature) and pack well in an airtight jar with a secure lid. If not using immediately, pack to the bottom of the jar and pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

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