Serves 6
Preserved lemons and tomatoes are an addictive combination! This is a daily stand-by in my household throughout the tomato season. I usually I roast my own red bell peppers , but there are a number of commercial roasted red peppers on the markets.
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons diced salted lemon rind
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 teaspoon balsamic or rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 baguette bread, sliced
Finely dice roasted peppers. Combine with the salt, salted lemon rind, tomato, and vinegar. Set aside.
Turn oven on to broil. In a small bowl, combine the garlic and olive oil. Cut 12 slices of baguette on a diagonal. Paint each one with olive oil/garlic mixture. Place on a baking sheet. Broil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Let cool and top with tomato/bell pepper mixture. Serve immediately.
Copyright Kitty Morse 2008
A key word for preserved lemons: Experiment and share! I love to find out new uses for my favorite condiment!
As many of you know, I love farmer’s markets, and Vista has a particularly lively one on Saturday mornings. It is the oldest in San Diego County, and the social event of my week!
Among the many vendors, The Lemon Lady sells preserved lemons, and she often gives out samples. You can catch her cooking up a storm with fresh fish from Dry Dock, the fishmonger, one of the original vendors at the market. The owner, Mark, is a friend, and a native of Casablanca as well.
When he prepares fish, Mark gives it a decidedly Moroccan touch. We often swap recipes (In fact, I included a recipe of his in the now out-of-print, Come with me to the Kasbah: A Cook’s Tour of Morocco.
This dish has people coming back for seconds and thirds– myself among them! The herbs vary, for they depend upon the season. You can use French or Mexican tarragon, fresh oregano, or fresh thyme.
It also occurred to me that the lemon/onion mixture would work just as well with a quick stir fry of leafy greens, or as a topping for scallopini of chicken, pork, or turkey. I think I’ll give it a try..
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ onion, finely diced
¼ red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
a few leaves of lemon verbena, chopped
1 sprig rosemary, stripped of leaves
4 basil leaves, chopped
½ preserved lemon, seeded, and finely diced
1 pound sea bass, cut into chunks
6 sprigs parsley, chopped
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil, and add the garlic, onion, pepper, lemon verbena, rosemary, basil, and preserved lemon. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions and peppers are quite soft. Add the fish. Cook, stirring to coat, until no longer opaque. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
Serve over rice or couscous—or as Mark does it, with tortilla chips. Enjoy.
I love Kitty Morse’s books, hopefully I can cook the recipes just as good. I’m only 15 but I think with practice I could be… Keep publishing books Kitty!!!
great receipe,s-I also will be making the preserved lemons as X-mas gifts for some of my friends..is it Kosher Salt that you are using??- I need to be careful with too much salt..thanks..hope that you are having a wonderful trip…Blessings G.O.