Preserved Lemons and Creamy Cauliflower Pasta
Hi Friends! I have a new video out on how to preserve lemons and how to use them in a creamy, vegan cauliflower pasta! Preserved lemons (aka fermented lemons, salted lemons, or cured lemons) are a beautiful, lacto-fermented condiment that's a total flavor bomb. They are great for adding complexity, brightness, saltiness, and concentrated, citrusy notes to whatever you're cooking. I was recently running low on my preserved lemons, and decided to show you how easy it is to make a fresh batch. Since this batch will be ready by mid December, I also had the idea to include small jars of preserved lemon paste as part of my holiday gifts this year :) See the recipes below. | | Preserved Lemons - organic, unwaxed lemons, washed and dried
- sea salt
- aromatics like bay leaf, peppercorns, dried chilis, cinnamon sticks (optional)
Prepare a clean glass jar, preferably with a glass top. Cut the stem end off the lemons so that they can stand up on their own. Cut a cross into the lemons, almost all the way through, but not quite, so that they still stay together. Start packing salt into the lemons (at the cross shaped opening), one at a time. Aim to add about 1 tablespoon of salt per lemon, but don't worry about being too exact. Add your first lemon to the jar and pack it in with your hands or a tamper, so that it releases a bunch of its juices. Continue with the rest of the lemons, as many as can fit into your jar. The goal is to have the lemons packed very tightly into the jar and completely submerged in lemon juice. Add the aromatics about halfway through filling up the jar, if using. Towards the end, you might have to cut the lemons into halves or quarters to fit them into the empty areas of the jar. Top off the jar with a few more generous pinches of salt and seal shut with a lid. Turn the jar upside down a few times to release any air bubbles and check if the lemons are completely submerged in the lemon juice. If not, open the jar and top it off with more lemon juice. Leave the jar to sit in a cool, dim place, shaking periodically to redistribute the salt, for about 1 month. When the lemons are ready, their rind should be soft and almost jelly-like in consistency. They should smell pleasantly bright and concentrated. Transfer the jar to the refrigerator as is, or puree the preserved lemons into a paste using a food processor, for more ease of use. The lemons should keep in the refrigerator for 6 months or longer. | | Creamy Preserved Lemon & Cauliflower Pasta serves 4 - 2 medium or 1 very large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 15 min if no high-speed blender
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- pinch chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon preserved lemon paste or about 1 preserved lemon, minced
- 1/3 cup raisins or golden raisins
- a few handfuls spinach
- 12 oz pasta
Preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C). Put the cauliflower on a large, parchment-covered baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until very soft and caramelized. Combine the cashews and 1/2 cup water in an upright blender. Blend on high until smooth. Set a large pot of well-salted water to boil for the pasta. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt, saute for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, chili flakes, preserved lemon, and raisins. Saute for a few more minutes, until the raisins are plumped up and the garlic is fragrant. Once the cauliflower is done, add it to the skillet, along with the cashew cream and stir to incorporate. Wilt in the spinach. Cook the pasta al dente, according to the time on the package. Towards the end of the cooking time, reserve about 2 cups of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the creamy cauliflower. Start mixing in the pasta, adding splashes of the starchy pasta water as needed, until everything looks nicely incorporated and saucy. Serve right away. | | The Golubka Kitchen Cooking Circle
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