Chermoula
A spiced oil from North Africa with cumin, coriander, garlic, and preserved lemon.
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander seed
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp ground paprika (not smoked)
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes (or more optional)
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (75 grams)
- 1 1/2 tbsp preserved lemon (peel only), diced fine (35 grams)
Instructions
- In a mortar, combine the garlic, salt and spices. Pound into a smooth paste. (Alternatively, chop the garlic very fine and mix with the salt and spices).
- Stir in the olive oil, combining thoroughly.
- Stir in the preserved lemon.
Recipe Notes
Preserved lemons can be purchased at Middle Eastern markets and specialty food stores. They also can be made at home with little effort but often require many days for the lemons to transform. Recipes can be found in most North African cookbooks; I have had great results using a recipe from Paula Wolfert in her book Mediterranean Grains and Greens (this one takes seven days). If you are in a hurry and have six Meyer lemons on hand, the Los Angeles Times published a recipe for quick-preserved Meyer lemons from Marcus Samuelsson's "The Soul of a New Cuisine." Recipe adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi's Chermoula Roasted Eggplant by Nerds with Knives and Chermoula aubergine with bulgar and yoghurt by Yotam Ottolenghi in the Guardian.