24-Hour Salted Lemon Spread

This little bit of lemony magic (see photo on this page) comes courtesy of Jonathan Borowitz, the chef of M25 steakhouse in the shuk. Jonathan serves it on a sexy little plate of spreads and spicy things you can use to dab your burgers, steaks, and other meats. I asked for a little extra to take home so many times, he finally just offered up the recipe for what he calls “pure lemon.” Unlike real preserved lemons, which take a minimum of two weeks to “cook” in salt and sunlight, here chopped lemons are salted for twenty-four hours along with garlic and jalapeños, then blended into a chunky-smooth spread that maintains both the bright qualities of fresh citrus and the pleasing bitterness of the rind. I use it on everything from sandwiches and kebabs to Lemony Chili and Tuna Pasta. Look for smooth, thin-skinned lemons, which have less bitter white pith.

Makes 1½ cups

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: about 24 hours

3 large or 4 medium lemons (1 pound), preferably thin-skinned, scrubbed

3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 small green jalapeño, seeded and chopped (or 2 for a spicier spread)

3 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons canola or other neutral-flavored oil

Trim the tops and bottoms from the lemons and slice each one into 8 wedges, then trim and discard all the visible white membranes from the tips of the wedges and remove and discard the seeds. Cut each wedge crosswise into 3 chunks and toss them in a medium nonreactive bowl along with the garlic, jalapeño, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, tossing every 8 hours if you can. Transfer the contents of the bowl to the bowl of a food processor and puree with the canola oil until just about smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stored in an airtight container, the 24-Hour Salted Lemon Spread will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.