Sweet lime AKA Citrus limetta, sweet limetta, Mediterranean sweet lemo

[CoraYvette]

So, a local Middle East food store has these. They have a sticker that says "Sweet Lime". Wikipedia also calls them Citrus limetta, sweet limetta and Mediterranean sweet lemon. They are not Meyer Lemons which I love to preserve in salt. The store owner told me to cut one into quarters and bite into one just before bed and then I would sleep well. I'd prefer to do more with them though. If there is a mention in Page and Dornenburg, I missed it. The only way I can think to use it is like an orange or meyer lemon, but I imagine you might have some suggestions. Fish and salads come to mind. What do YOU do with them? Anything with complex flavors like cinnamon/onion/pomegranate? Thanks!

[Lisa Shock]

I'd make mayonnaise with the juice and a liqueur from the peel.

[Darienne]

How did it taste to you?

[CoraYvette]

It tastes like perfumed sugar water. Reminds me of jasmine in the air, ending with a minty icy feeling. The peel reminds me of a kumquat in that is edible but mild. The peel (pith and all) is slightly bitter with a pleasant mild lemon aftertaste.

I detect zero acidity in the fruit (but I have neither a trained nor sensitive palate). It's a bit of an enchanting nothing...

No acid to speak of.

Quite sweet in a watery way.

Pleasantly bitter peel.

No salt aspect.

I alsmost think I should reduce the juice and use as a sweetener.

[JAZ]

I detect zero acidity in the fruit (but I have neither a trained nor sensitive palate). It's a bit of an enchanting nothing...

No acid to speak of.

Quite sweet in a watery way.

Pleasantly bitter peel.

No salt aspect.

I alsmost think I should reduce the juice and use as a sweetener.

We saw these in a market last year and tried a couple. We found them virtually useless, but then we were trying to use them in cocktails. Maybe reducing would help with the flavor.

[Wilton Green]

On 2/26/2012 at 10:54 PM, Lisa Shock said:

I'd make mayonnaise with the juice and a liqueur from the peel.

http://www.wordsiseek.com/23-benefits-of-citrus-limetta-for-health-hair-and-skin/

Will you share the recipe of making this? I would really love to make it once. 

Edited September 30, 2016 by Wilton Green
Errors cut (log)

[Lisa Shock]

For mayonnaise, I just make adjustments to the Joy of Cooking (my copy for this is from 1982) recipe for blender mayonnaise.

 

With regular ingredients, plain mayo.

In a regular blender place:

1 large egg (without the shell!)

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1¼ cups vegetable oil (salad oil, or any light oil, canola is fine)

 

Mix the first five ingredients for about two minutes, until very well blended. Add the oil in small amounts, blending between additions. Add a little extra juice or oil to adjust the thickness.

***

 

For the sweet lime above, I would try the recipe without sugar at all and add some later if needed. Might also add a little grated peel. If it tastes bland, maybe add some fresh herb like dill or maybe basil. be careful about adding too many things, it will just have a muddy flavor.

 

***

For liqueur, get some grain alcohol. In the US, the most common brand is Everclear. This works much better than vodka. Take a pint of grain alcohol and add the peels of one fruit. Make sure the pith has been removed and you are just using the top, colored portion of the peel. After about a week, or when the peels lose color and become brittle, strain them out, and mix with simple syrup: 1/3 infused alcohol, 2/3 simple syrup. A pinch of citric acid may be added to boost the flavor, if needed. You can also experiment with the proportion of syrup.

 

Hope this helps!

[Smithy]

I bought a few of these last year as an experiment.  Like @JAZ, I found them to be pretty tasteless and useless. I wish I'd thought to try their juice in mayonnaise.  Thanks for that suggestion, @Lisa Shock. The adjustment in the sugar is a good note, given the sugar content of this fruit.