By Kathryn van
I remember once receiving a bag of lemons with a little card from a neighbor lady. She was doing work with some church group or other. She came by to drop it off at my apartment and invite me to a community dinner at the church down the street. I took a look at the neatly printed little card. “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” it stated proudly, and a recipe for the popular drink was given.
“Lemonade?” I asked the lady. “Why make lemonade? That’s boring. I’m making pie!”
We had a good chuckle over it — and when I showed up for the dinner I brought with me two homemade lemon meringue pies.
To quote Peter, Paul and Mary, “Lemon tree very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet. But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.” And indeed, anyone taking a bite out of the fruit must have something wrong with their taste buds. But though you cannot eat it straight, that lowly fruit almost magically enhances the flavor of any dish it is added to. You can use it in beverages both hard and soft, in breads, cakes, cookies, pies, tarts and scones. You can also use it with rice, potatoes, carrots, broccoli and artichoke and it goes championly with any fish, shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab and even poultry. For a fruit that can’t go solo, it is remarkably versatile in its pairings.
When adding lemon to recipes, you can use the juice or the zest — the outer, yellow part of the peel. The zest has a stronger taste than the juice, and a very small amount adds a lot of flavor. The juice can be extracted using any kind of juicer used for oranges or by simply squeezing the fruit after cutting it in half. To get the zest, you can use a special zester or use a sharp paring knife or potato peeler to remove the thin top layer of the peel. Be careful not to get the bitter white pith beneath it. Once the zest is peeled off, you can chop it or mince it, depending on what the recipe calls for. You can also lay the zest on a piece of waxed paper and let it dry for future use.
Whether you are using the juice or the zest, you want to get lemons that are bright yellow with no green areas, blemishes or hard spots. The skin should be shiny and almost smooth and the fruit should feel heavy for its size. Fresh lemons can be stored on the counter for about a week and in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Lemon Meringue Pie
I have never liked those lemon meringue pies that are sweet all over. I can only eat a bite or two before the cloying taste clogs up my mouth. This recipe has a nice, tart lemon curd that contrasts nicely with the sweet meringue.
Your favorite 9-inch pie shell, already baked
7 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup hot water
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 egg whites at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
Mix cornstarch, 1 cup sugar and salt in saucepan. Gradually stir in hot water. Cook over direct heat, stirring constantly, until thick and clear, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir 1/2 cup hot mixture into egg yolks and stir this back into hot mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Add lemon peel and juice, stirring until smooth. Cool. Pour into baked pie shell. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy. Gradually beat in 6 tablespoons of sugar, a little at a time. Beat until meringue stands in firm, glossy peaks. Spread meringue on filling, making sure it touches inner edge of crust around pie. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes or until the meringue is delicately browned. Cool before serving. Makes 1 pie.
Salmon Steaks with Lemon Dill Sauce
Lemon and seafood go wonderfully together. Here, the lemon and dill blend in a mild sauce that brings out the best in the salmon.
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon chervil
dash cayenne pepper
3 slices lemon, sliced thin and cut in quarters
4 centercut salmon steaks, 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick
2 whole lemons
dill sprigs
For sauce: Melt butter in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Combine cornstarch with water and stir into butter in saucepan. Add lemon juice, salt, chervil, dill and cayenne pepper and stir to blend. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until sauce thickens and turns clear. Remove from heat and add lemon quarters. Cover and set aside.
Cut off and discard the ends of the 2 whole lemons and cut each into 3/4-inch slices. Put one slice into the opening of each salmon steak and secure with toothpicks. Grill 6 to 8 inches above hot coals, using hickory chips if desired. Grill for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Garnish steaks with dill sprigs and spoon some of the hot lemon-dill sauce over each. Serve remaining sauce separately.
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