Meyer Lemons: Recipes and Storage

[bluechefk]

also this one - i used this marmalade as a filling for crostatas, but it would be awesome on warm scones, too

meyer lemon marmalade

12 meyer lemons

1 pound sugar

cut lemons lengthwise in half and remove seeds. cut into 1/8" slices and place in large stainless steel pan over medium heat, stirring to evenly distribute sugar among lemons. cook until lemons give up some liquid & sugar begins to melt and comes to a light boil. reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and becomes pale golden, about 50 minutes. cool completely.

[ladyyoung98]

where does one even get meyer lemons..or for that matter the leaves of meyer lemons?

[dockhl]

Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Pudding Cake with Fresh Berries

Makes 6 – 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 ½ C buttermilk

1 C sugar, divided

4 LG egg yolks

3 LG egg whites

1/3 C fresh Meyer lemon juice*

¼ C flour

¼ C (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/8 tsp salt

Whipping cream

Assorted fresh berries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 8x8x2 inch glass baking dish. Blend buttermilk, ½ C sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, flour, butter and salt in blender until smooth. Transfer buttermilk mixture to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining ½ C sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold buttermilk mixture into whites in 3 additions (batter will be runny).

Pour Batter into prepared dish. Place dish in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of dish. Bake until entire top is evenly browned and cake moves very slightly in center but feels slightly springy to touch, about 45 minutes. Remove dish from roasting pan.

Cool cake completely in baking dish on rack. Refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours. Spoon pudding cake into shallow bowls. Pour cream around cake. Top with berries.

[cookman]

Thanks for the recipes-- they all look great!

[magnolia]

I'm making a recipe that calls for Meyer lemons, I'm in the UK and sadly I wouldn't know a Meyer lemon if it was squeezed over my head. What would be the best substitute, are they on the sweet side of sour? the sour side of sour? juicy? rind-y? Please advise...

[Smithy]

I'm making a recipe that calls for Meyer lemons, I'm in the UK and sadly I wouldn't know a Meyer lemon if it was squeezed over my head.  What would be the best substitute, are they on the sweet side of sour? the sour side of sour? juicy? rind-y? Please advise...

←

Meyer lemons are larger and sweeter than the standard lemons, assuming your standard lemons are the same as in the USA. (Lisbon and Eureka lemons are the usual ones over here.) Meyers have a floral quality, almost, to the smell and taste. Botanically they're an old, well-established cross between a lemon and a tangerine. I haven't tried this, so I can't vouch for how well it would work, but if you can find clementines (or mandarin oranges) you might try mixing clementine juice and lemon juice. Say, 1 part clementine juice to 3 or 4 parts lemon juice? Use the ripest lemon you can find to minimize the sour quality.

[Jensen]

I've heard or read somewhere that Meyer lemons are similar to the variety of lemon used to make traditional limoncello (sfusato amalfitano). That might be an option for you.

[russ parsons]

actually, the latest dna testing has meyers being a cross between lemon and sweet orange. but i do agree that the closest approximation in flavor would be lemon and tangerine--maybe 2-3 tablespoons per cup.

[Smithy]

actually, the latest dna testing has meyers being a cross between lemon and sweet orange. but i do agree that the closest approximation in flavor would be lemon and tangerine--maybe 2-3 tablespoons per cup.

←

Thanks for that correction, Russ! Isn't science wonderful? I'll blame my mis-statement on recent developments rather than faulty memory.

[magnolia]

Thanks to both of you !

[russ parsons]

actually, the latest dna testing has meyers being a cross between lemon and sweet orange. but i do agree that the closest approximation in flavor would be lemon and tangerine--maybe 2-3 tablespoons per cup.

←

Thanks for that correction, Russ! Isn't science wonderful? I'll blame my mis-statement on recent developments rather than faulty memory.

←

yes, well, at least your correction didn't come in front of a million readers the way mine did two years ago. seems the university that did the research is in our area. (UC Riverside and to be serious, they were quite wonderful and have been amazingly helpful with all things citrus. if you can ever wrangle an invitation to their experimental station, it is heaven--more than 900 varieties).

[John S.]

I'm making a recipe that calls for Meyer lemons, I'm in the UK and sadly I wouldn't know a Meyer lemon if it was squeezed over my head.  What would be the best substitute, are they on the sweet side of sour? the sour side of sour? juicy? rind-y? Please advise...

←

We have a tree in the back yard. They are sweeter than the Eurekas that are common around here and have a thinner skin. A wonderful fact (for me at least) is that the skin is edible, just like a kumquat. If I were to substitue I would use, as Smith and Russ recommend, another citrus juice to bring it close to the tart lemon flavor.

[robyn]

Bump - Last year a spring northeaster blew all except 3 of my tiny Meyer lemons off my little tree. This year I lucked out - and I think I have about 35 or so which are almost ready to harvest. Any new ideas about recipes to use them in?

By the way - for Satsuma fans in north Florida - they are at the flea markets now (probably produce markets too if you happen to have one near you) - they were five for a buck last week near Gainesville. Robyn

[petite tête de chou]

Bump - Last year a spring northeaster blew all except 3 of my tiny Meyer lemons off my little tree.  This year I lucked out - and I think I have about 35 or so which are almost ready to harvest.  Any new ideas about recipes to use them in?

By the way - for Satsuma fans in north Florida - they are at the flea markets now (probably produce markets too if you happen to have one near you) - they were five for a buck last week near Gainesville.  Robyn

←

I love this recipe though it takes a bit of work. Very pretty.

[Ktepi]

Meyer lemons are perfect for Shaker lemon pie (tons of recipes via google etc). Unlike most lemon pies, and like the above tart, it uses whole lemons sliced as thin as possible.

The sweeter rind makes them good for roasted lemonade, too.

[ChefJohnny]

If you have access to a cryovac or vacuum sealer, the quick way to preserve meyers is to cut them top to bottom 95% through, put them in a bag with equal parts sugar and salt and vacuum away. we do that and then keep them in the freezer and pull them as needed.

[robyn]

Bump - Last year a spring northeaster blew all except 3 of my tiny Meyer lemons off my little tree.  This year I lucked out - and I think I have about 35 or so which are almost ready to harvest.  Any new ideas about recipes to use them in?

By the way - for Satsuma fans in north Florida - they are at the flea markets now (probably produce markets too if you happen to have one near you) - they were five for a buck last week near Gainesville.  Robyn

←

I love this recipe though it takes a bit of work. Very pretty.

←

That looks pretty good. I've tried making my key lime pie recipe with meyer lemon juice - and it doesn't taste anywhere as good as the key lime recipe. Must be differences between the 2 kinds of citrus juices.

I have to admit that although I make pies and quiches and the like - I usually cheat with store bought pie shells. This recipe looks like it might go well with a graham cracker crust as well as an ordinary pie crust.

The unfortunate thing about me and pies is that with only two of us in the house - on a semi-perpetual diet - they are a special occasion item only.

Does anyone have any savory recipes? Can the juice be used to good effect in any marinades? Robyn

[Sentiamo]

Veal Piccata al Limone is wonderful, Chinese Lemon Chicken, Lemon Rice Salad, Risotto with Lemon and Lettuce, Tagliatelli with Lemon and Parsley ( use butter,cream/pancetta/parmesan/lemon zest for sauce, sprinkle with Italian Parsley) try marinating large rinsed anchovies in lemon juice then drain and use as normal.

For some more sweet ideas;

Make a bread pudding ( I use croissants or brioche on occasion) and use 1/2 double cream and 1/2 milk. Add lemon zest to egg/milk/cream/sugar mix and soak bread for an hour. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and more zest. Top with a meringue and bake in a bain marie until done.

Make a Tiramisu with lemons. Add zest to the egg/marscapone mix and dip the savoiardi briefly into lemon juice. Do not dust with cocoa! Use confectioners sugar and I serve with raspberries. Coffee does not figure here.

Meyer Lemon IceCream:

1 Cup Double Cream

3/8 Cup Caster Sugar

Very finely grated zest of 1 large Meyer Lemon

Juice of 1 large Meyer Lemon

Place all into a bowl. Mix well and taste. Add more sugar or lemon if needed. Whisk until softly whipped then place into 4 small bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze.

This is an old recipe, well before we had even hand icecream churns in New Zealand. Easy and delicious! For a touch of modern, drizzle with limoncello and ganish with some crystallised lemon slices.

I make poppyseed muffins and dip in sugar and lemon juice whilst hot. Make lemon syrup cakes/lemon sponge rolls and fill with lemon curd and blueberries.

An aside: I much prefer limoncello with a lemon such as Lisbon or Villa Franca. Meyers are too sweet for me in alcohol. But, I do love just eating them straight off my tree. So does one of my pooch's.

Edited November 26, 2006 by Sentiamo (log)

[robyn]

I let our lemons sweeten up unti last week - when I had to harvest them due to an impending freeze. Wound up with over 40. I tried to mail some to friends - but found out it is now illegal to mail citrus from Florida without a USDA license due to canker problems.

In any event - last week there was an article in the NYT dining section with recipes for lemons. Tried the spaghetti limone - and it was fabulous. You can find it on the NYT website. Robyn

[aliwaks]

In any event - last week there was an article in the NYT dining section with recipes for lemons. Tried the spaghetti limone - and it was fabulous. You can find it on the NYT website. Robyn

←

[kalyson]

Hello, I'm pretty new to dessert making, but I've been making lemon bundt cakes and tarts, etc. If I use Meyer lemons instead of the regular kind, do you think the desserts will taste noticeably different?

[alanamoana]

i would hope so! i love meyer lemons and they are great for baking, cooking, dessert making.

you do have to realize that they aren't as acidic as regular lemons, so if you're going for sour or tart, they might not do the trick. they have a wonderful floral fragrance and their zest is great as a flavoring.

with some items, you might just have to decrease the sugar a little to make up for the lack of tartness. but for the most part, you can replace regular lemons with meyer lemons and still have a great product.

meyer lemon curd

candied meyer lemon peel

preserved meyer lemons

meyer lemon meringue pie

etc

etc

[etalanian]

Hello,  I'm pretty new to dessert making, but I've been making lemon bundt cakes and tarts, etc.  If I use Meyer lemons instead of the regular kind, do you think the desserts will taste noticeably different?

←

Meyer lemons aren't as tart, but they have a delightful flavor. You can boost the tartness a little by using regular lemon zest if you like. I would reduce the sugar other liquid in the cake and increase the amount of lemon juice a little.

Eileen

Edited December 21, 2007 by etalanian (log)

[kalyson]

Thanks! I appreciate the input from all of you.

--K

[kbjesq]

Meyer lemons are believed to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange or some other orange. I have a tree in my backyard and it produces copious fruits. As mentioned by other posters, the fruit generally is much less tart than a traditonal lemon. I have noticed that the really ripe fruits are so sweet that you could almost eat them out of hand . . . so, accordingly, it would be prudent to adjust your recipes to reflect the lower acidity of the Meyer lemon. In my limited experience, there is a drastic variation in the acidity of the fruit.

The other thing that I've noticed is that the Meyer lemon produces significantly more juice than a regular lemon. So if you have a recipe that calls for the "juice of one lemon", take note. A Meyer is going to give you at least 2-3 times the juice that you would expect from a traditional lemon, IMHO.