Chatelaine Food Editor Claire Tansey shares these recipes with a fresh citrus twist.

Creamy Lemon-Herb Dip

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 Tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon peel
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
• Pinch of cinnamon

For preserved lemons:

• 5 medium lemons
• 2/3 cup kosher salt

Directions:

Combine sour cream, mayo, peel, parsley and cinnamon in a bowl. Serve with pita, blanched green beans and endive

Preserved Lemons:

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Makes: 1 Litre

Directions:

1. Scrub lemons under running water with a stiff vegetable brush to remove any waxy coating. Trim off and discard stem ends. Quarter lemons lengthwise.
2. Coat wedges with salt, then pack into a 1-L jar with a lid. Press lemons very firmly into the jar to get the juices flowing. Add remaining salt and, if needed, more lemon juice to cover. Cover jar with a piece of plastic wrap and secure lid. Refrigerate.
3. Turn and gently shake jar once a day. After one week, lemons will be soft and ready to use. They'll continue to develop flavour. Keep refrigerated for up to six months.
4. To use, remove and discard pith and pulp using a small sharp knife. Rinse and peel well to remove excess salt. Slice or dice peel. Lemons become saltier the longer they sit. Adjust the amount of peel used in recipes below accordingly.
5. Substitution tip: Instead of lemons, use about four medium oragnes (plus one for juice) and a half cup or kosher salt, or 15 limes (plus five for juice) and 2/3 cup kosher salt.

Herb & spice variation: Add 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds or a mix of two star anise and two bay leaves to the lemons, oranges or limes.

Lemony Spaghetti with Shrimp & Basil

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 250g spaghetti
• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 454 g pkg frozen peeled black tiger shrimp, thawed
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp diced preserved lemon peel
• 1 Tbsp brine from preserved lemons
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan

For preserved lemons:

• 5 medium lemons
• 2/3 cup kosher salt

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water, following package directions, but omitting salt until al dente, approximately six to eight minutes.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium hight. Add oil, then shrimp and garlic. Stir-fry until shrimp turns pink, four to six minutes. Remove from heat. Drain pasta and add to shrimp. Stir in lemon juice, preserved peel, brine, basil and parmesan.