Tomato, Olive and Preserved Lemon Sauce

3 lemons
1 quart water
8 ounces granulated sugar
salted mixed nuts, as needed
1/8 teaspoon chile flakes
1 onion, medium dice
1/2 carrot, medium dice
1 1/2 ounces whole butter
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
3 cups tomato concassé
8 fluid ounces fish stock
1 teaspoon cumin, toasted
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon harissa
16 niçoise olives, pitted
black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Servings: 32
1. Slice the lemons thinly and remove all seeds. Combine the lemon slices with the water, sugar, salt and chile flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool the preserved lemons in the liquid until ready to use.

2. Sweat the onion and carrot in the butter until tender, approximately 20 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sweat for 1 minute. Add the tomato concassé, fish stock, cumin, honey, harissa, olives and 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) of chopped preserved lemons and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add the cilantro.


Yield: 1 quart