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10 Organic Lemons


Shaya

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I bought a bag of beautiful organic lemons the other day, knowing I only needed one or two for immediate use, but they only sold them by the bag (and besides, I can't resist nice-looking produce when it comes my way).

I was thinking at the time maybe

(1) a sorbet (but without an ice cream maker I find these turn out so icy)

(2) preserving them - but them not sure what I'd use them for

Any other ideas out there? I would love to use them quickly while they are still at their freshest.

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Lemon Curd?

Great on toast for breakfast, used as a crepe filling, stirred into ice cream, used to make an iced parfait, added to a sauce anglaise to go with steamed puddings... I could go on...

Or, I have a really good recipe for a whole lemon and almond sponge, which involves boiling the lemons whole until soft, pureeing and sieving them before making your batter.

The extra flavour and bite from really good organic lemons would come out well in either.

Allan Brown

"If you're a chef on a salary, there's usually a very good reason. Never, ever, work out your hourly rate."

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I bought a bag of beautiful organic lemons the other day, knowing I only needed one or two for immediate use, but they only sold them by the bag (and besides, I can't resist nice-looking produce when it comes my way).

I was thinking at the time maybe

 

(1) a sorbet (but without an ice cream maker I find these turn out so icy)

(2) preserving them - but them not sure what I'd use them for

Any other ideas out there?   I would love to use them quickly while they are still at their freshest.

Perhaps you can use them for a batch Limoncello. AKA, the Nectar of the Gods.

And if that does tickle your fancy (although I am not really sure why it wouldn't :), try a granita. They are easy, you don't need an ice cream maker and make for a good use for left over citrus (and coffee).

And while you wont use them in bulk here, how about a lemon chicken. For a twist, slice them in half, salt, pepper olive oil em up, then slide them under he broiler. The intense heat somewhat tames that lemony 'bite' and brings a new element to the dish.

When life gives you lemons, you can also make lemonade. Or strawberry lemonade in my case. But thats a different post altogether. :)

Lastly, a garlicy-lemon compound butter might be nice to keep tucked away in your freezer for fish, chicken or vegetables. They act as quick flavorful sauce for those midweek meals.

Edited by crusio's (log)
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Preserved lemons are really fantastic. They last a good long time so you will certainly use them if you keep in mind they are up on the shelf when you do your menu planning. If you google search 'preserved lemons' in eGullet you will get lots of recipe ideas.

You could also make your own limoncello. There is a thread for that here.

Another idea is lemon curd that you can keep around for desserts.

edit: Wow, cross-posts on limoncello and lemon curd. Great minds think alike and lesser ones do also.

Edited by slbunge (log)

Stephen Bunge

St Paul, MN

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There's a blueberry-lemon quick bread in the New Basics Cookbook that's out of this world. More recently, I've seen a lemon tart (it may have had blueberries in it, now that I think of it) that had a lively lemon taste. That recipe was in one of the Best Recipes cookbooks - Best Recipes of 2003, maybe? (give or take a year) Lemon meringue pie is a terrific way to appreciate lemons.

If all else fails, make sure you juice the lemons and then freeze the juice. I use ice cube trays because the cubes are just about 1.5 T - close to right for a slight seasoning of a sauce. I've also saved larger quantities, say in a yogurt cup.

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
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Roast a chicken with whole lemons stuffed inside. Prick the skins and roll the lemons first, and rub the outside with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Lovely moist chicken, nice crisp skin.

Make a lemon tart from one of the Keller cookbooks. Simple, delicious.

I'm on the pavement

Thinking about the government.

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You could also try making lemon gelatin, the home-made equivalent of lemon jello. (Needless to say, it's a lot better when real lemon juice is involved.) I can't think of any other lemon dessert where you get such an intense, pure lemon flavor.

If you happen to be in the mood for cocktails, you could make lemon drops. Sugar the rim of a glass. Shake together equal parts lemon juice and vodka with ice, then strain into glass. You can add a little bit of sugar or simple syrup if you want to.

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I agree with Busboy. Make a Tarte au Citron (lemon tart).

The best thing about organic lemons, is there is no wax on them (hopefully).

You'll be able to use the lemon zest without fear for the lemon tart. Hubby makes a great one, from scratch.

We have our friend in Santa Rosa UPS us lemons from her backyard, all the way to Philly for these great tarts! (Yes, expensive but worth it)

Let us know if you want his recipe.

He makes the crust from scratch too. Sometimes regular, sometimes from almonds...

Here's the link to the recipe just posted in the pastry forum - http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=83675

Edited by TarteTatin (log)

Philly Francophiles

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Perhaps you can use them for a batch Limoncello.  AKA, the Nectar of the Gods. 

You could also make your own limoncello.  There is a thread for that here.

edit: Wow, cross-posts on limoncello and lemon curd.  Great minds think alike and lesser ones do also.

What they said.

Lemon Meringues

Paul Wolfret's 7 day preserved lemons

Or you could throw a cocktail party and make lot of Aviators.

Eating pizza with a fork and knife is like making love through an interpreter.
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Here are a few of my favorite lemon desserts:

1. Rose Beranbaum's lemon glow chiffon cake (double the zest and juice) served with Herme's lemon cream (make with freshest butter you can get).

2. Herme's lemon tart.

3. Cook's Illustrated lemon bars.

4. Cook's Illustrated lemon cheesecake.

You can find recipes for each by searching the pastry and baking forum.

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced" - Vincent Van Gogh
 

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Thank you all so much. You have given me so much to think about.

Culinary Bear - your lemon and almond sponge sounds really good, particularly as I could use the whole lemon - you get my mind thinking of baked goods, a realm where it does not enter too often - but I love lemony desserts

Crusio's and Slbunge - I love the idea of limoncello - I don't know why I hadn't thought of something like that, particularly since my husband is always experimenting with flavoring alcohols - he would probably vote for this option

Crusio's and Therese - I frequently make lemon-stuffed chickens so I will keep that dish for my regular weekly 2 or 3 lemons - this bag of lemons has appeared before me in order to push me to expand my horizons, so I'm going to run with it (or as Crusio so eloquently put it..."when life gives you lemons, you can also make lemonade")

Smithy, Busboy, TarteTatin and Patrick - I think I am sold on making a tarte au citron

TarteTatin - sending lemons by UPS is outrageous - I love it!

A recipe (or a link to one) would be appreciated as I am mostly a cooking and not so much a baking person, so my cookbook collection is weak in that area - although Busboy you will be happy to hear I have Keller's FL book on order as we speak :smile:

Patrick - I found your link to Herme's lemon cream - looks great - how is a lemon cream different from a lemon curd? Would this cream be used to make a "tarte au citron" that TarteTatin mentions?

Gini - I have Paula Wolfert's Slow Mediterranean Cooking and am tempted by the preeserved lemons, but after reading all these great ideas I'm leaning toward making something that will provide instant gratification!

Molly and Gini - with 2 little kids our cocktail days are on hold for awhile, much to my husband's chagrin :sad: - but I'm sure he would vote for this option too.

Thanks again all, eGulleters are AMAZING!

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Patrick  - I found your link to Herme's lemon cream  - looks great -  how is a lemon cream different from a lemon curd?  Would this cream be used to make a "tarte au citron" that TarteTatin mentions?

Herme's lemon cream is much like a lemon curd, except that it has a lot of butter whipped in, at the end, with the immersion blender, and that makes it extremely smooth and creamy. Yes, you can make a wonderful lemon tart with this - in fact, Herme's lemon tart is simply a prebaked pate sucree (sweet tart) shell filled with lemon cream and finished (optionally) with a clear glaze on top.

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced" - Vincent Van Gogh
 

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Hi Shaya,

Where did you get the lemons from?

It's always nice to see another Halifax egulleter!

Khadija

Hi Khadija,

I know what you mean. Not too many food-obsessed in this town I don't think! :unsure:

I got the lemons at Great Ocean - they're from Arizona.

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so many great responses already. dare I ask... what can't you use lemons in? :biggrin:

tarts, pies, cheesecakes, icings, salad dressing, lemon potatoes, chicken, granita, lemon/ginger cookies, cakes, curds, soup, rice, lemonade!

or

I just like to squeeze a wedge of lemon into some ice-cold water. Most refreshing drink there is.

PS: Lemon zest freezes well. If you're only using the juice, zest them up and freeze in a baggie. Pull it out when ever you want to add a little zestyness.

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How about lemon mousse? It's super easy to make and tastes fantastic - kind of rich, light, sweet, tart, creamy, and ever so ever so lemony, all at the same time. I have a recipe culled from a newspaper column somewhere - I seem to remember that the woman whose recipe it was made it each day to sell in her shop, and sold so many she bought a holiday home in Italy on the proceeds. Now that's a pretty cool thing to do with a few lemons ...

Shout if you want the recipe.

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

Virginia Woolf

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Okay, recipe for lemon mousse:

3 eggs

juice and zest of two lemons (80ml of juice)

200g sugar

1 sachet of gelatine

500ml double / whipping cream

vanilla essence

Separate the eggs and whisk up the yolks with the sugar until they go all fluffy and pale.

Dissolve the gelatine in about 2 tablespoons of warm water, let it cool slightly, and add the lemon juice to dilute the gelatine further. Whisk this in with the sugar/egg yolks mixture, along with the lemon zest and a few drops of vanilla essence.

Whisk the cream separately, then fold that into the mixture. Finally, whisk up the eggwhites until they're stiff and fold them in.

You then need to let it chill in the fridge for a few hours so that it 'sets'. After that, all you need to do is eat it! :wink:

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

Virginia Woolf

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Hi Shaya,

Where did you get the lemons from?

It's always nice to see another Halifax egulleter!

Khadija

Hi Khadija,

I know what you mean. Not too many food-obsessed in this town I don't think! :unsure:

I got the lemons at Great Ocean - they're from Arizona.

I thought you might say Great Ocean. I go there a lot, as I live in the neighbourhood.

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Fine, if you dont like lemonade, just make a really nice Lemon Ice/Sorbet...they last forever in the freezer, and are a great palate cleanser when you have a nice meal.

Depending on how sour you like it (I Love it sour) I would just add a bit of water, and maybe a tiny bit of simple syrup.

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