Preserved Lemons
18 lemons, washed and dried
1 cup kosher salt
Remove the stem of the lemon. Quarter the lemon lengthwise, with two cuts three-quarters of the way. Make sure that the lemon stays intact.
Stuff all sides of the lemon with a generous amount of salt and squeeze lemon closed.
Place lemon inside a 1-liter glass jar with an airtight lid. Repeat the salting process, then push down each lemon. Add more lemons until the jar is full.
Add the juice of 2 lemons.
Seal jar tightly and shake contents. Leave on countertop.
The following day, add several more lemons. Repeat the following day, until the jar is full and no more lemons can be added.
Shake daily so that the brine coats the lemons.
After one week, place jar in the refrigerator.
Lemons will be ready to use in three weeks.
Israeli Salad with Preserved Lemon
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
3 Persian cucumbers, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 avocado, diced
1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely sliced
1/2 rind of preserved lemon, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Place tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onion, avocado, Italian parsley, green onions and preserved lemon in a bowl.
Just before serving, pour olive oil and lemon juice over the vegetables, then sprinkle the salt over the salad.
Toss well.
Blend any leftovers to make a gazpacho.