Arabic Zeal

Lemons are present in some form in practically every Arabic meal. The Moroccans take it a step further by using preserved lemons in their cooking, which give a refreshing tangy flavor to many of their dishes.

Imagine a very intense, incredibly flavorful lemon zest, but silky and fragrant. Preserved lemons retain all of their lemony-ness even when slow cooked in a tagine. Essential in a Moroccan kitchen, they are used in salads and dressings, in lamb and vegetable tagines, and as a garnish. Preserved lemons are the star ingredient of the well-known Moroccan dish Chicken Tagine with Lemons and Olives.

Not to be confused with dried lemons (which are darkened and hard), preserved lemons keep their vibrant yellow color. Basically they are lemons pickled in salt. Normally cooks use the peel alone and discard the pulp, but you can use the pulp, too, if desired.

The unique texture and flavor of preserved lemons cannot be substituted with fresh lemon. Don’t even try. However, you can easily prepare preserved lemons at home. But here’s the catch: they require at least a month to mature before they’re ready to use. So, if you’d like to use them in your cooking, you’ll need to plan ahead. Way ahead.

Preserved Lemons – What you’ll need

1 large sterilized jar with tight-fitting lid

10 lemons (unwaxed, preferably organic) or as many that will squeeze into your jar

10 Tablespoons sea salt or kosher salt, (Not iodized table salt), 1 T for each lemon

Fresh lemon juice, as needed

Method:

1. Wash, scrub, and dry lemons. For each lemon: cut the tips off. Standing each lemon vertically, cut the lemon into quarters, but don’t cut all the way through. Leave about a half-inch uncut.

3. Stuff one tablespoon sea salt into each lemon.

4. One by one, stuff the lemons into the jar. The lemons will soften and release their juices, making it possible to pack them in. Pack them down and squeeze in as many as you can.

5. If the jar is fully packed, the juice from the lemons should nearly fill the jar. Add some additional fresh lemon juice if necessary. It’s important that all the lemons are covered with the salted lemon juice. Leave some airspace before sealing the jar.

6. Store in a cool dark place or the refrigerator for at least a month. The longer they are left, the better the flavor. To use, scoop out and discard the pulp. Rinse the lemon peel under water to get rid of the salt. Chop finely, in slivers, or as instructed. Preserved lemons can be used for up to a year.

Question: How do you use preserved lemons in your cooking? 

Thank you to all the new followers and readers of my blog. I appreciate your support and encouraging comments. The past year has flown by—70 posts, so much to blog about.

Who knew?

Meanwhile, here is a review of some of my favorite posts from the past year, in case you missed one.

Cultural Posts

I started this blog with the post Sharing my Zeal, which explained my original goals. So, I’m wondering … have I brought down barriers between Arabs and non-Arabs? Well, my eldest son tells me I should simply work on bringing down barriers between myself and my Arab in-laws. Ha Ha Ha. Teenagers are so funny.

My most popular cross-cultural posts were the three-part series I wrote about Raising Arabic-Speaking Children. These posts generated a lot of questions and comments from other parents—many more successful with biligualism than we have been.

Another noteworthy post was Our Desert Dog. I was hesitant to blog about my pet, but my writers group encouraged me to go ahead with it. It indeed struck a chord, as some of the comments from readers were posts by themselves.

For those of you who are writers, you might appreciate my piece Writing about another Culture. I offer tips on how to avoid cultural stereotypes and clichés in your writing.

Food Posts

I started out the blog thinking I might include “a few recipes.” Well, I’ve gradually discovered that I enjoy developing Arab recipes and taking photos of food. It has thrilled me to learn that people actually prepare my dishes. Not only that—three other bloggers have blogged about testing my recipes—with positive results. Wow. That made me happy.

I guess my favorite food posts are the Ma’amoul recipes—Arab pastry secrets revealed! Also, I like my Grilled Halloumi Salad post. After all, I eat that salad nearly every day.

Look forward to more recipes coming up—especially during Ramadan. I’m now working on printable recipes. Stay tuned.

Book Reviews

I’ve stumbled a bit with my book reviews. However, now I think I figured it out: keep them short and sweet. Focus on new books that people want to know more about.

My most popular book review was a review of five books: Memoirs by Western Women Married into Arab Culture. I received lots of positive feedback on that. I also enjoyed writing a review of my favorite Palestinian memoir: In Search of Fatima. I love this book.

Travel Stories

The travel story of the year that I am most proud of is about our family trip to Mecca: My Umrah. I also liked my post Journey to Jerusalem, a story that will always stay with me.

Thank you again for reading. It’s been a fun year, and I look forward to another 70 posts, which I hope will not disappoint.

Question: What kind of posts would you like to see in the upcoming year?

Fattoush is one of the most well-known of Arabic salads and a standard dish on the mezza table. It’s a colorful tossed salad with a lemony garlic dressing, and if you’ve never made a single Arabic dish, this is a delicious and healthy place to start.

Like most Arabic dishes, the ingredients and proportions can vary. However, all cooks agree that the one essential ingredient to this rustic salad is its crispy pieces of Arabic bread which serve as a kind of Middle Eastern croutons. Claudia Rodin refers to fattoush as “Bread Salad.”

Optional Specialty Ingredients

A few optional ingredients can give fattoush a more authentic flavor. First, sumac, a deep red spice, adds a pleasant lemony taste and an extra layer of zest. Next, pomegranate syrup, one of my favorite Middle Eastern ingredients, provides a lovely sweet-and-sour tang. Finally, some insist that fattoush must include purslane, a pale green herb with pear-shaped leaves. If you can’t get your hands on these ingredients, don’t despair. You can still make a terrific fattoush salad without them.

Below is my recipe for fattoush. It contains the basic ingredients, plus a few optional add-ons. With this method, you can make the salad an hour or two in advance and toss it together just before serving. Always use the freshest ingredients possible.

FATTOUSH SALAD

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 Arabic flat breads

3 medium firm ripe tomatoes, chopped

2-3 small cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and sliced

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped into small pieces

5 small radishes, sliced thinly

6 green onions (scallions), sliced thinly

1 small bunch of fresh mint, leaves only, chopped finely (about ¼ cup)

1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely (about ¼ cup)

1 small bunch purslane, tender leaves only (optional)

6 large leaves romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Dressing:

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

1-2 teaspoons pomegranate syrup (optional)

1 teaspoon sumac, or more to taste (optional)

Method

1. Toast the bread. Traditionally, the pieces of Arabic bread are fried. As a healthier option, cut each round of Arabic bread into two and split into two layers. Brush lightly with olive oil or skip the oil entirely. Place bread on baking sheet and bake in a moderate oven 350° F/180° C for 5 minutes. Turn and repeat until crisp and lightly toasted. (The thinner the bread, the quicker it toasts.) Break the bread into bite-sized “croutons.”
2. In the bottom of a large salad bowl, place ingredients in this order: tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, radishes, green onion, chopped herbs and finally, the chopped lettuce. Leave ingredients layered in the bowl until ready to serve.
3. Prepare the dressing. In a small measuring cup, add the olive oil and lemon juice. Wisk in the garlic, salt, pepper, as well as sumac and pomegranate syrup, if using.
4. Just before serving, gently toss the salad to mix the layers. Add the dressing, just enough to lightly coat the salad.
5. Garnish the top of the salad with toasted pieces of Arabic bread and an extra sprinkle of sumac, if desired. Serve with extra dressing and “croutons” on the side.

Question: How do you like to prepare Fattoush Salad?