Lovely recipes to try with lemons
If there is one thing I can’t be without in the kitchen, (after a brain blowing cup of coffee, of course), it is the amazing lemon. A life without lemon doesn’t bear thinking about, ok there are worse things, but seriously, let’s think of the ways that the lemon makes life better.
Firstly they look great, what a unique shape and a bright and cheerful colour, the colour of the sun and the first flowers on a cold Spring day. Lemon lends itself to so many things in the kitchen, from making curd to cake, souring cream for a spicy chili and squeezing over fish are some of the more obvious ones.
Lemon has more vitamin C than her cousin the orange (lemon has to be a she, with those amazing curves) and is the first stop for making warming drinks when colds and flus hit. It’s said that when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade, I agree, but it’s also bad press for the lemon as lemonade is only one of so many things it provides.
In Greece they can’t live without these citrus beauties and lemon gets squeezed over everything from grilled oyster mushrooms, to steak. A drizzle of lemon juice over some steamed spinach or kale brings a plain green veg to life. Lemon tenderises, marinades, enhances, balances and nothing gives your system a better wake up call in the morning than a mug of hot water with a sunny slice floating on top.
If, like me, you steer clear of chemical cleaning products, you will find that a cut lemon and some bread soda gives your shower door and taps the best shine, with a lovely lemony scent too. I’ve never tried lemon juice on my hair for free highlights, maybe next summer, if we get one of those.
Naturally, lemons ferment very well too and make the staple ingredient for Middle Eastern cooking — preserved lemons. They are hard to find in the shops but have a myriad of uses in the kitchen from chopping up and mixing through couscous or serving with a tagine or a spiced, grilled fish dish.
Their own fermenty juices turn into a deep and punchy lemon syrup which makes a wonderful salad dressing when mixed with herbs and some good olive oil. The world is your lemon.
These are an easy way to pep up a mildly spiced dish or a fried rice or couscous. Sterilise a one litre jar.
8-10 lemons, ideally unwaxed 4-5 tblsp sea salt Sprig rosemary 1 fresh red or green chilli
1. Juice four of the lemons and set aside 2. Spilt the remaining ones all the way down to nearly their base by cutting a cross in them from the top 3. Hold the lemons over the jar and stuff them with a tablespoon each of the sea salt 4. Pack them as tightly as you can into the jar 5. Push in the rosemary and chilli and top up with enough lemon juice to almost cover the lemons 6. Close the jar and leave in a dark place, it will get quite effervescent so open it daily to let out the gasses.
Keep in the fridge and use as needed — the flavour will continue to improve over time
While there is sugar in this recipe, it’s nothing compared to commercial fizzy drinks. This cordial is made with ‘three levels of lemon’ — the zest, juice and lemony water infusion and it’s off the charts in terms of flavour. Try and find unwaxed lemons, but if you can’t, any lemon is better than no lemon. This is great diluted with water or, if you’re feeling fruity, vodka!
Makes 2 x 500ml bottles Sterilise your bottles by washing them and putting them in the oven for 10 minutes at 160C or put them through the dishwasher without a tablet.
7-10 unwaxed lemons 500g sugar Water
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Zest the lemons using the large grater side of a box grater or a microplane. Add the zest to the water and, when it’s boiling, add the lemons and boil them whole for 1 minute. Boiling the lemons will release almost twice the amount of juice, so juice away.
2. Strain the water and keep 500ml of the zesty, lemony water and return it to the pan with 500ml of the lemon juice and 700g sugar. Strirring the sugar, bring this to a boil and cook it for a minute to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved.
3. Pour the cordial into hot, sterilised bottles and cork immediately.
When it’s cooled enjoy this over ice and get ready to make it again and again.
