Issues > January/February 2003 (#94) > Love' em with Lemons

Love' em with Lemons

Lemon is an essential ingredient in many cultures and for good reason. It can act as the main flavor in a dish, where it holds its own against all types of foods: vegetables, meats, poultry and seafood. When used sparingly, lemon melds with the other ingredients and is indistinguishable yet enhances the overall flavor of the dish.

Our experience of flavor is actually a combination of the perception of taste on our tongues and the aroma of a food. All foods contain some ingredients that can be tasted and some ingredients that are detected by our noses and lemon is no exception. The interesting thing about lemons is that these compounds are found in two different parts of the lemon and can therefore be used separately.

Lemon Zest

It is easy to think that the skin of a lemon is just packaging (like the skin of a banana) but don't be fooled. The lemon peel contains volatile oils, which easily become airborne and float up into our noses. We detect these oils as aroma rather than as taste. They do not have the same tart flavor as the juice does, they provide the heady scent that make a lemon tart such an entrancing dessert.

There are a few different methods for making use of these aromatic oils. The most direct way is to zest the lemon and toss the zest directly into dishes such as salads, sauces, vinaigrettes, pastries or almost anywhere else. Alternatively, the zest can be removed from the lemon and placed into a container with sugar to make a lemon-flavored sugar that can be used to bake cookies and cakes. And finally, the zest can be heated in a sugar syrup where it will release its flavor. (A recipe for Citrus Syrup follows.) The resulting lemon syrup can be used in ice tea, mixed drinks, as a glaze on a cake or anywhere else where you desire a lemony sweetness.

So even if your recipe doesn't call for the lemon zest, don't throw those peels away.

When removing the zest of the lemon you should know that the peel is made up of two components, the zest which is the thin layer of colored skin and the pith is the white layer just under the zest. (The pith can have a bitter flavor and should be avoided when possible.) The zest should always be removed from the lemon before you juice them. I almost invariably remove the zest and set it aside just in case I want to add it to the recipe later.

There are a two different ways to remove the zest from a lemon. The first is to simply peel the lemon using a potato peeler and then either cut the zest into long thin strips or dice it into very fine pieces. The second is to use a zester, a small tool that scrapes the zest off the lemon.

Lemon Juice

The flesh of the lemon yields juice, which is primarily made up of citric acid and water as well as some sugars. This is why it has a flavor similar to vinegar and if often used in the same way that vinegar is - to add sparkle to a dish.

Lemon juice can also form the main flavor of a dish. The Greek soup Avgolemono, is a chicken and rice soup that is flavored with a substantial amount of lemon juice and then thickened with egg.

The flavor of fresh lemon juice simply cannot be bottled. Bottled lemon juice has been heated to make it shelf stable and this process creates a cooked flavor in the juice, it also has a lower Vitamin C content. So only use bottled lemon juice if the recipe directly calls for it.

To get the juice out of a lemon, start by first taking off the zest and setting it aside. Then roll the lemon between your hand and the counter top to break up the cell structure within in the lemon. This makes getting the juice out much easier. Cut the lemon in half through the middle (not from end to end) and then use a reamer or a spoon to help you squeeze the juice into a strainer over a bowl. As a rule of thumb you can estimate that you will get about 2-3 Tbsp of juice per lemon.

Lemon Varieties

There are three main varieties of lemons sold in the U.S. Most of the lemons that you find in your local grocery store will be either the Eureka or the Lisbon. They have an oval shape with pointed ends. The Meyer lemon (which is not as readily available) has a more rounded shape and is less acidic and therefore sweeter then the other two varieties. (It also has a much thinner skin and does not yield the same amount of zest.)

Purchasing

Although most citrus fruits are available year-round they are in season and at the peak of their flavor and freshness December through March.

A lemon should feel heavy for its size and be free of blemishes and soft spots. Purchase organic lemons whenever possible; conventional lemons are subjected to pesticides, are often dyed yellow to appear more attractive and may have been waxed to maintain their moisture content (so they can be older and you won't be able to tell).

Storing

Lemons are picked fully ripened and do not continue to ripen once they have been picked. Therefore storage time is just the fruit getting progressively older - not better. Store them in the refrigerator in a plastic bag to maintain freshness.

The following recipes are for delicious lemon desserts that are perfect after a hearty winter meal.

Honey-Lemon Gelatin

By Amy Topel

Ingredients

1 Tbsp gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

1-1/2 cups water

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup lemon juice

Method

Juice the lemon and set aside. Combine the gelatin and 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl. Bring 1-1/2 cups of water in a pot to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the honey, lemon juice and gelatin. Stir to dissolve and pour into a glass dish. Chill for 4 hours and serve.

Michelle Masiello, an Instructor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University and the former Pastry Chef at Verbena Restaurant in New York City developed the recipes below.

Candied Citrus Peel

Ingredients

4 lemons (or 6 limes, or 2 oranges)

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

Method

Using a paring knife, trim the ends of the lemons off. Stand one lemon on end and cut the peel off in strips, from top to bottom, in one nice even stroke. Make sure to include some of the pith. Repeat until all of the lemons are peeled. Squeeze the juice from the fruit and use in another recipe or freeze to use later.

Cut the peel into long thin strips, about 1/4 inch wide each. Place in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and immediately strain. Repeat one more time. In the same saucepan, combine the sugar and water with the lemon peel. Over medium heat, stir to dissolve sugar, bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for approximately 2 hours, or until the peel is translucent. (While it is cooking, stir periodically and if the syrup becomes too thick (the consistency of honey) add 1/2 to 1 cup water.) When finished cooking, strain and reserve the syrup. Spread the peels out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow them to cool slightly. When the peel feels slightly tacky but not wet, place in a zip lock bag with some granulated sugar. Seal the bag and toss the zest around to coat it with the sugar. Store in an air-tight container.

The candied peel and syrup is used in the following recipe.

Glazed Lemon-Poppyseed Tea Cake

Yield - 1 loaf

Ingredients

4 Tbsp poppyseeds

1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

2 eggs

6 Tbsp diced candied lemon peel

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup lemon syrup

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 3000. Sift together the poppyeeds, flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In a mixer, combine the sugar, oil and eggs and whip for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add 1/2 the milk and 1/2 the flour mixture and whip for 1 minute. Add the remaining milk and flour mixture and whip until incorporated.

Grease and flour a standard loaf pan (9"x5"x3"). Fill with the batter and bake for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Run a knife along the edges of the pan, then brush the cake with all of the syrup. Allow the cake to cool in the pan.

Lemon Tart

Yield - 1 rectangular tart shell (13"x4"x1")

Ingredients

6 eggs

6 fl oz Meyer lemon juice

6 fl oz lemon syrup

1-1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

Method

Pre-heat oven to 2750. Whisk together all ingredients and pour into pre-baked tart shell. Bake until just set, approximately 30 minutes. Cool in the pan.

Cornmeal Crust

Ingredients

9 oz all purpose flour

5 oz cornmeal

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cups sugar

1/2 lb butter, cut into 1" dice

3 fl oz heavy cream

Method

In a mixer, blend the dry ingredient with the paddle attachment. Slowly add the butter. When almost completely blended, add the cream until the dough forms a ball. Form into a flat disc and chill for 15 minutes. Roll out on parchment paper to 1/4 inch thick and line a rectangular tart shell. Bake at 3000 for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, add the lemon filling and, bake as directed.