Preserved Lemon Gremolata is a bright, herby, and intensely zesty green condiment that you will want to put on absolutely everything. Made with just five simple ingredients — flat-leaf parsley, preserved lemons, garlic, olive oil, and chili flakes — it comes together in under 10 minutes with no cooking required. The preserved lemons give this gremolata a depth and complexity that fresh lemon simply cannot match: salty, fermented, and deeply aromatic. Drizzle it over grilled fish, roasted chicken, or grilled vegetables, stir it into lentils, white beans, or chickpeas, toss it through pasta, or spoon it over avocado toast and poached eggs. Vegan, gluten-free, and endlessly versatile.

Ingredients

For the Gremolata

• 1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 1 cup packed)
• ¼ cup preserved lemons, rind and flesh, finely chopped
• ½ cup good quality olive oil
• 2 fat garlic cloves, finely minced
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Chili flakes, Aleppo pepper, or Urfa pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Chop the parsley: Wash and thoroughly dry one full bunch of Italian flat-leaf parsley. Remove the thicker stems and finely chop the leaves and thin stems until you have about 1 cup packed. The finer the chop, the better the texture of the finished gremolata.

• Prepare the preserved lemons: Remove the preserved lemons from their jar. You can rinse them lightly under cold water if you prefer a slightly less intense salt flavor, though this is optional. Finely chop both the rind and the flesh together until you have ¼ cup. The preserved lemon pieces add little pops of intensely bright, salty flavor throughout the gremolata.

• Mince the garlic: Finely mince 2 fat garlic cloves. For a more mellow garlic flavor, you can use a microplane or the flat of a knife to work the garlic into a paste before adding it in.
• Combine: Place the chopped parsley, preserved lemon, and minced garlic together in a medium bowl. Pour the olive oil over the top and stir everything together until well combined and the parsley is evenly coated in the oil.

• Season to taste: Add freshly ground black pepper and chili flakes, Aleppo pepper, or Urfa pepper to taste. Give everything another good stir. Taste the gremolata — if you want a more pronounced lemon flavor, add more chopped preserved lemon. If you prefer a looser, more sauce-like consistency, simply drizzle in a little more olive oil and stir again.

• Serve: Spoon the Preserved Lemon Gremolata generously over grilled fish, grilled chicken, lamb chops, kabobs, or roasted vegetables. Stir it into lentils, white beans, or chickpeas for an instant flavor boost. Toss with pasta for a quick and vibrant pasta salad, or simply spoon over avocado toast or poached eggs.

Recipe adapted from - Sylvia Fountaine