Friends, it occurred to me that while I use preserved lemons a lot, I have never told you how to procure or make them. You may already have some on hand; if you don’t, they might sound like one of those intimidating, “where would I find them!?”, fancy-type ingredients which could discourage you from trying recipes that call for the wonderful preserved lemon.

Fear not. If you live near a Whole Foods, you can buy preserved lemons on the olive bar. This is fantastic because really, you don’t often need more than one, and if you make preserved lemons the long way, it a) takes weeks and b) you end up with a vat of them.

For those who do not live by a Whole Foods, here is a very easy, very quick, very yummy way to make preserved lemons when you need ‘em. I found this guide within another recipe on epicurious.

1 lemon, washed, cut into thin rounds, seeds removed
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
4 tsp coarse kosher salt

Mix these ingredients in a small sauce pan or skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until slices are almost tender. Drain and chop. Can be made up to a week ahead. Cover and chill until ready to use.