1. Lemon zest: Fresh lemon zest can be used as a substitute for preserved lemons. Use a zester or a grater to take the zest from the lemon's outer layer, avoiding the white pith underneath it. Add the zest to your dish towards the end of cooking for the best flavor.
2. Fresh lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice can also provide a tangy flavor to your dish, but with less intensity than preserved lemons. Use a small amount at first and adjust the quantity according to your taste preference.
3. Pickled lemons: Pickled lemons are similar to preserved lemons, but they are not fermented, and they have a different texture. They are preserved in vinegar, salt, and spices, making them a good substitute for preserved lemons.
4. Kalamata olives: If you are looking for a substitute for the salty and sour taste of preserved lemons, kalamata olives can work as a good substitute. Finely chop the olives and add them to your dish.
I'd recommend lightly sauteeing for a minute or two a couple of seeded lemon slices in just a touch of light oil with some salt, then putting it in the oven (in the skillet) for ten to twelve minutes in a moderate oven, adding a pinch of salt and a tablespoon or two of water, to prevent the juices from getting too sticky. Then I'd chop it and use it with the pan juices. Preserved lemon has a somewhat more mellow, less acidic quality than fresh lemon, which is why I would not substitute fresh.
I was cooking chicken tajine and couldn't find preserved lemons here in Macon, Georgia (it is the deep south after all) and I used the raw lemon juice for the marinade and then on cooking day I sliced the lemons thinkly and stewed them at the same time as the chicken and the dish was perfect! I am not sure I want to go to the extreme of picking my own lemons or the expense of buying them already done. I think the cooking most definitely sweetened the lemons adding mellow lemon flavoring to my dish.
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2. Fresh lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice can also provide a tangy flavor to your dish, but with less intensity than preserved lemons. Use a small amount at first and adjust the quantity according to your taste preference.
3. Pickled lemons: Pickled lemons are similar to preserved lemons, but they are not fermented, and they have a different texture. They are preserved in vinegar, salt, and spices, making them a good substitute for preserved lemons.
4. Kalamata olives: If you are looking for a substitute for the salty and sour taste of preserved lemons, kalamata olives can work as a good substitute. Finely chop the olives and add them to your dish.
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