My mom used to tell me stories about the lemon tree my parents had in southern California before my sister and I were born. While living there, my mom taught herself how to fit maximum amount of lemon juice in a lemon meringue filling. Her goal was to make the tartest and most lemony flavor possible without making the pie fall apart. She made pie after pie, and still gave away bags of lemons to friends and neighbors because, try as she might, she just couldn’t use them all. Every time my mom tells us that story, she gets this misty look in her eyes, thinking of that wonderful problem she had of too many fresh lemons.
I completely understand my mom’s nostalgia for her lemon tree. I absolutely love using fresh lemons and lemon juice in my cooking, and I would adore having my very own citrus trees! I was absolutely green with envy last week while I was visiting Arizona, ogling hundreds of citrus trees just bursting with fruit. I even had the opportunity to attend a brunch where I could drink a Mimosa mere feet from the blood orange tree that provided the juice. Being from the Pacific Northwest, I have been fortunate to live in an area where gardens grow nearly year round and fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful. However, in Washington we have nothing like this bounty of citrus that I witnessed in the middle of the Southwest desert. I just couldn’t believe that all the Arizonans were not just jumping for joy that they had fresh lemons, oranges and grapefruits literally in their backyard! I felt just like a kid, and I took it as a sign that my next feature in my Essential Ingredients series should be fresh lemon juice.
Like all my other Essential Ingredients, fresh lemons and lemon juice are ingredients that I use nearly every day in my cooking. Keeping a couple lemons in the fruit drawer have really been a boon when I’ve been scrambling with what to make for dinner. Just a couple tablespoons will add a depth of flavor to many dishes and sauces, and will not necessarily make it taste “lemony” or even sour.
Many of the recipes I have already posted on my blog feature lemons or lemon juice prominently. One I love to write about, of course, is this tasty Lemon Chicken with Croutons. Also, given my love affair with the Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook, it shouldn’t be surprising that I’ve found a number of delicious recipes featuring fresh lemon juice that are now among my new favorites. For instance:
Sautéed Baby Spinach with Garlic and Lemon, page 267 – A super side dish that is absolutely packed with flavor. The spinach is not too soggy and even my husband ate it…and liked it!
Nut-Crusted Chicken Breasts With Lemon and Thyme, page 316 – Check out this recent posting for a pic and a full review. Very very tasty, great texture and good over greens.
Garlicky Shrimp Pasta, page 197 – It’s a pasta dish and a party in your mouth. The garlic and lemon flavors, combined with the salty parmesan and vermouth make this dish come alive with flavor. Could not recommend it more! If you don’t believe me, check out this pic!
Before I go too far in gushing about my favorite savory lemon dishes, I think I should also point out how much I love lemons in dessert. You may have noticed that I don’t write much about dessert on this blog. I have to admit that I tend to prefer savory snacks and meals to a big hunk of pie or cake. However, lemony desserts are a delicious exception to this personal rule. I definitely take after my mother and her love of super-lemony lemon meringue. If you are the one who brings lemon squares to the office potluck, in my opinion you deserve a promotion. There is just nothing I love more than that combination of sweet and tart. I truly cannot get enough.
Given my affinity for lemony desserts, it shouldn’t be surprising that I am also a huge sucker for a really great lemon cake. Steve’s aunt Becky makes the most killer lemon cake in the world, and she graciously made several sheet cakes to serve at our wedding. Every single one ended up as mere crumbs by the end of the event. I will try to see if she’ll let me share her recipe on this blog, but I’m not holding my breath.
If you need more convincing that you should keep fresh lemons in your fridge at all times, here are some other great ways to use fresh lemons:
First, a fun tip for the next time you serve a fruit platter or some guacamole: the citric acid in all citrus fruit keeps fruits like apples, pears and avocados (yes, avocado is a fruit) from oxidizing and turning a yucky brown. If you want to keep those fruits pretty and glistening, just squeeze a lemon wedge over the fruit right after slicing. You don’t need much. Just a small coating will give you the desired effect without making your fruit too sour.
Another way I love to use fresh lemons is to flavor steamed artichokes. Here’s how I do it: Add 1-2 inches of water to a steamer or cooking pot. Add 2 or 3 lemon slices, 1 bay leaf, 2 garlic cloves and 4 whole peppercorns. Place your steaming basket and artichokes in the pot and cover tightly. Heat the water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and steam artichokes until leaves pull apart easily (about 1 hour), adding water as needed. Serve artichokes with melted butter for dipping. Appetizer = done. Update! I now have now posted a step-by-step guide for this artichoke recipe.
Lemon, of course, is a great addition to almost any seafood dish. The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook has a super recipe for Poached Salmon with Dill and Sour Cream Sauce on page 447. For something even simpler, just put some salt and pepper on a slab of salmon, and cover the top with lemon slices. Put it under the broiler for 8-10 minutes (cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the filet), and you have a beautiful main course. A salad and some mashed potatoes round out the meal. You could also serve my Green Bean Salad as a tasty side.
If you don’t put lemon directly in your seafood dish, it can also make a great dip. Mix some lemon juice with mayonnaise, scallions, tarragon and just a hint of cayenne pepper, you will have a dip for crab cakes, boiled shrimp or a baked or fried white fish.
Finally, lemon juice can be a great substitute for vinegar for a fresh-tasting salad dressing. Add one tablespoon lemon juice to a minced garlic clove, salt and pepper, and some chopped parsley. Gradually whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil with a fork, and drizzle over mixed greens. How can you get fresher than that?
Well, I hope I have convinced you of my adoration for fresh lemons. Happy cooking everyone!
Domestic Goddess Project 