Preserved lemons are a precious ingredient. They are created by pickling lemons in a heavy brine made from salt and lemon juice. The product has a unique flavor that is a bit difficult to describe, but when used as an ingredient, contributes a bright, citrus flavor with deep, refined floral overtones. You see them used in stews, tagines, marinades, soups, and to a lesser extent, in vegetable dishes. I have never seen preserved lemons served as a side or a garnish; I think the flavor is simply too intense to be considered a reasonable candidate for solo eating.
While not a tremendously common ingredient in other cuisines, preserved lemons are called for in quite a number of Moroccan and Mediterranean recipes. This created a little bit of a dilemma for us at first, …