Can I use fresh lemons instead of preserved lemons for Moroccan chicken stew? | Ask Nigella.com

Our response

Nigella’s Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Stew (from SIMPLY NIGELLA) uses a North African-inspired combination of cinnamon, ginger, cumin, saffron, green olives, and preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are salted and preserved lemons. The lemon juice dissolves the salt, and the resulting brine softens the skin of the lemons and intensifies the flavor of the lemons, while softening some of their acidity.

We don’t particularly recommend using fresh lemons as an alternative, as the skin won’t soften enough as the stew cooks and the flavor of the lemons will be a bit too harsh and bitter. Instead, we suggest cooking the stew without the preserved lemons, but instead adding the zest of a peeled lemon. To peel the zest, use a vegetable peeler to peel off very thin strips of lemon zest, being careful not to include any pith. Use an unwaxed lemon, if possible. The zest should soften while cooking or can be removed from the stew before serving. Once the stew is cooked, taste it and add a few squeezes of lemon juice and an additional pinch or two of salt, if necessary, to add a slightly lemony flavor to the stew.