Meyer Lemons: Recipes and Storage

[ludja]

Nice article in the LA Times this week on "100 Things to do with Meyer Lemons".

click

Some of the good suggestions:

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12. Grate Meyer lemon peel into a bowlful of Chantilly cream.

13. Arrange thin slices of Meyer lemons on a pizza crust topped with goat cheese, rosemary and Picholine olives.

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17. For a Meyer lemon confit, cook slices of lemons in olive oil over very low heat for an hour; coarsely chop, and add to a salad of market greens, goat cheese and candied walnuts.

18. Make a Meyer lemon gremolata with finely minced parsley, garlic and lemon zest, then add to a pot of osso bucco.

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21. Make Meyer lemon chiffon cupcakes.

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27. Make Meyer lemon gelée.

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54. Whisk the zest of a few Meyer lemons into your favorite meringue recipe.

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73. Add grated Meyer lemons to your favorite shortbread recipe.

74. Make a lemon Bellini with Prosecco, Meyer lemon juice, a little simple syrup and strips of peel.

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89. Make a dipping sauce for grilled fish or shrimp from Meyer lemon juice, fresh chopped cilantro, basil and mint, minced garlic, ginger and chiles and fish sauce.

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96. Top blueberry pancakes with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and grated Meyer lemon zest.

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97. Grill slices of Meyer lemons with lipstick peppers and add to panzanella, or Italian bread salad.

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99. Make Meyer lemon marmalade.

Edited January 28, 2008 by ludja (log)

[demiglace]

Does the meyer lemon peel smell different from other lemons?

[Doodad]

My cousin lives in California and has a Meyer lemon tree.  Once a year or so, he sends me a big box of lemons and I go on a lemon cooking spree.  The ideal, of course, is to use them recipes in which their flavor will really stand out.

So far I've made a lemon sponge pudding (probably my favorite lemon dessert, but one that works just as well with regular lemons) and a sorbet (you can really taste the Meyer-ness in this one, but how much sorbet can I eat?)

I still have about a dozen left: any suggestions?

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How about a confit so you can enjoy for some time to come?

[ludja]

Does the meyer lemon peel smell different from other lemons?

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Yes, if you scratch a Meyer lemon you'll get a perfume that is distinctly different from a "regular" lemon. It's a bit difficult to describe, but it is less acidic and to me it has a floral component.

Edited February 20, 2008 by ludja (log)

[demiglace]

Does the meyer lemon peel smell different from other lemons?

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Yes, if you scratch a Meyer lemon you'll get a perfume that is distinctly different from a "regular" lemon. It's a bit difficult to describe, but it is less acidic and to me it has a floral component.

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Thank you thank you...I bought a couple to experience the taste and I noticed a perfumy smell on my hands..I was worried that there was something wrong with them..the taste was wonderful though. I feel better now thanks.

[AmritaBala]

I was just on Martha's website yesterday and she made a lemon pistachio pesto which was used as a pasta sauce.

Basically, de-seed your meyer lemons and place them in a food processor (peel and everything on) with toasted pistachios, salt, pepper, and EVO.....Blend it up and toss some freshly boiled pasta in....hmm.....

The use of the peel is what scares me, though.

Edited February 21, 2008 by AmritaBala (log)

[Smithy]

The use of the peel is what scares me, though.

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Why?

If you're worried about pesticides, give the peel a good scrubbing first. If not, what scares you about it?

We used to eat regular (Eureka) lemons, peel and all. It was a tart but pleasant experience, at least for teenagers bent on freaking out the city slickers. (Actually, although I am no longer a teenager, I still sometimes eat the lemon peel.) Meyer lemon peel is less acidic than your standard lemon peel, and therefore less assertive.

One other thing to think about, if you're worried about eating citrus peel: kumquats. The peel is the best part.

[Jon Savage]

I made marmalade from a couple pounds of our Meyers early this year. Really really tasty stuff. I'll do it again.

[chocoera]

hi guys! i just had a friend of mine from CA send me about 7 meyers lemons from his garden ( i live in IA so this is a big deal) :0) but i have absolutely no idea what to do with them...any thoughts on desserts or recipes for these? i would try anything from creams, to cakes, to component desserts to bars...you name, i'll do it....because these lemons are to lovely to waste!

hope all is well in eG land

[RobertM]

There are so many wonderful things to do with Lemon's - How about a good Lemon Curd? - my favorite Lemon Meringue Pie...

[Darienne]

Lemon ice cream. Lovely recipe posted yesterday on 'The Perfect Scoop', p. 12 by Elsie D.

[iguana]

I recommend Shaker Lemon Pie (uses the whole lemon):

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/04/shaker-lemon-pie/

I've made it-- it's good:

Jen

[djyee100]

Meyer lemons have an incredible fragrance and sweetness. They are like a cross between an orange and a lemon. I love 'em.

However, in my experience, meyer lemons do not cook up well. Their unique flavor tends to get lost in complex food pairings, and I think heat destroys some of their flavor as well. For example, I've cooked a meyer lemon souffle, and wondered, So what? I don't think meyer lemons would stand up to the cream in an ice cream, either.

So I suggest, keep it simple, and if possible, uncooked. Meyer lemon juice is fantastic squeezed over fish or in a vinaigrette with shallots & great olive oil. I think a sorbet would show off meyer lemons really well, too--but watch the sugar, because meyer lemons are sweeter than other lemons. The zest could go into some kind of fresh relish with chopped green olives, parsley, and olive oil and served alongside grilled chicken or fish. My fave is lemon gremolata with braised beef short ribs. The original recipe appeared in the Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook. An adapted version (same ingredients, different instructions) is here:

http://www.foodista.com/recipe/2NLBKBTR/braised-beef-short-ribs-with-gremolata

Another possibility, which I haven't tried, but which was recommended to me--making Moroccan preserved lemons with meyer lemons. The cook who tried this thought the Meyer preserved lemons were superb. I suggest going easy on the spices, or dispensing with them altogether and simply preserving the lemons in salt for the purest flavor.

have fun with your lemons!

[RWood]

My mom and one of my best friends have very prolific meyer lemon trees. When they come in, we are overloaded. Like that's a bad thing .

It may be unoriginal, but I make big pitchers of lemonade with them. Load it up with mint leaves and fruit, and it's great. Everyone loves it. Good with a little vodka or tequila as well

[Alex]

Here's a Meyer lemon cocktail thread. I've also made Meyer lemon sorbet, which was liked by all.

[Hiroyuki]

Another non-dessert idea: Save some juice and make ponzu with it by combining it with soy sauce and dashi. Someone said he liked his ponzu, made with Meyer lemon juice here in my blog.

[heidih]

I enjoy them as the acid in the Vietnamese dipping sauce nuoc mam cham. It has a fruitier floral taste and fragrance than lime. I often leave a squeezed half to steep in the jar. More oils seem to get extracted over time.

[ilikefood]

I second the Shaker lemon pie - it is indeed very tasty. Since it uses the whole lemon, including the rind, it has a texture similar to marmalade but with a lemony taste.

[chocoera]

I recommend Shaker Lemon Pie (uses the whole lemon):

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/04/shaker-lemon-pie/

I've made it-- it's good:

Jen

wow, that looks amazing!!!!!!!!

[chocoera]

Here's a Meyer lemon cocktail thread. I've also made Meyer lemon sorbet, which was liked by all.

alex and rwood- love the idea of a drink....mmmm mint? and cocktail recipes are awesome! hello 4th of july

[CanadianBakin']

This cake from www.kingarthurflour.com would be perfect: Lemon Bliss Cake. It's great poundcake that works everytime for me. I bake several loaves every week now for one of my coffee house customers. All the zest goes into the loaf and almost all the juice is mixed with sugar and slathered over the top. The glaze isn't cooked at all so it wouldn't lose it's flavour. Even my husband who would not choose to eat a lemon dessert, loves it!

I've made the Shaker Lemon Pie from Tartine and it's pretty good too.

[RobertM]

Epicurious has a wonderful sounding recipe for Grilled Burgers with Meyer Lemon Butter

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Burgers-with-Meyer-Lemon-Butter-359729?mbid=RF

[dystopiandreamgirl]

make a lemon charlotte

filled with lemon mousse

and topped with lemon curd.

(i use alice medrich's lemon mousse recipe from cocolat, and the cake bible's recipe for ladyfingers & curd)

[deensiebat]

A friend brought a box of lemons from Oakland, and I finally turned the last of them into marmalade:

[AAQuesada]

Wow! that looks great, and I love the label too.

I'll second the preserved myer lemons. I do a really plain recipe just salt, lemon or bay leaves, a dried chile or two and thats it. I do the standart eureka's as well as the Myer lemons and I love preserved myer lemon for vinaigrettes, myer lemon aioli, Salad's like Tabbouleh....