I love all things lemon: lemon cake, lemon muffins, lemon pie, lemon chicken, yada yada yada.
I will choose a lemon dessert over chocolate every time. The bright, zingy flavour of lemon is so refreshing after a rich meal; just the smell of lemon zest is enough to perk you up.
One sincere recommendation if you're going to be cooking with lemons - invest in a microplane grater. The superfine zest you'll get from a microplane blends smoothly into sauces and lemon curd so you don't end up with stringy pieces of lemon peel between your teeth. The grater is also great (pun intended) to use for garlic, hard cheeses and ginger.
When a recipe calls for lemon juice, use room temperature lemons and roll them firmly under your palm on a hard surface before squeezing; you'll get way more juice. Never use bottled lemon juice in a recipe - I don't know why anyone would buy that stuff!
ASPARAGUS AND GREEN BEANS WITH LEMON BASIL DIP
This is a lovely appetizer for a spring potluck or shower. You could also use blanched snow or snap peas.
1 ?3 - ½ cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper to taste
2 pounds fresh asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
Whisk together the first four ingredients until blended; season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill for at least two hours before serving. Prepare vegetables: Have a large bowl of ice water at hand. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add asparagus and cook two to three minutes until crisptender. Remove asparagus with tongs and immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking; remove once cooled. Add the beans to the boiling water and cook three to five minutes until crisp-tender, then remove from water with a slotted spoon and plunge into the ice water to stop cooking; remove once cooled. Cover and chill the vegetables until ready to serve with the chilled dip. Stand the vegetables upright in short glasses or crystal vases for an attractive presentation; use a similar container for the dip.
Garnish the dip with fresh basil leaves and a lemon slice, if desired. Makes 12 servings.
CLASSIC LEMON CURD
Use to fill baked tart shells (frozen or homemade) and top with a little whipped cream. Also delicious on gingerbread or fresh scones.
6 egg yolks (remove the little white "appendages")
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ?3 cup fresh lemon juice (4-5 lemons)
2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
½ cup cold butter, cut into 1 slices ?8-inch
Pour one inch of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. In a medium metal mixing bowl whisk together the egg yolks and sugar for about two minutes until smooth. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest until well combined. Place the mixing bowl over the simmering water (the bowl should sit on top of the saucepan - it mustn't touch the water). Stir the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as you stir, until it begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon (this will take about seven-10 minutes). Remove from the heat. Whisk in the butter one slice at a time, waiting until each piece is almost melted before adding the next. Spoon the curd into clean glass jars and let cool at room temperature (the curd will thicken as it cools). Store the curd in the refrigerator - it will keep for two to three weeks (bet it won't last that long though!). Makes about two cups.
CREAMY LEMON CRUMBLE BARS
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup butter
¼ tsp baking soda
1 ?8 tsp salt
Heat oven to 190 C. Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan. Mix the condensed milk, lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl until thickened; set aside. Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl until crumbly. Press half of the crumble mixture firmly into the pan; bake about 10 minutes or until set. Spread the milk/lemon mixture over the baked crust and sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over top; press down gently. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the centre is set but soft.
Cool completely. Cut into 16 squares.
