Lemon juice is perhaps one of the most widely used ingredients in both ancient and contemporary cuisine. The uses are arguably endless, being used as a key player in recipes from breakfast, to dinner, to dessert. In general, citrus fruits can be used as a much needed hit of tartness in a huge assortment of dishes.
The first combination which springs to mind, is of course lemon with fish; memories of lemon wedges with battered cod at the seaside, squeezing it generously atop the crispy surface as the acidic juices sting your fingers. Lemon works so well with the mild, sweetness of white fish and it never fails to bring it to life. Bake sea bass in tin foil with lemon, whip up a lemon hollandaise for your haddock, and squeeze into creamy saucepans of salmon tagliatelle.
One of my favorite ways to use lemon, is in pasta dishes. And yes, I most probably eat too much pasta, so it is inevitable that this is something I incorporate lemon into. Honestly though, I’ve found that a good squeeze of lemon lifts pasta into different realms of deliciousness. Creamy pasta made with garlic, crème fraiche, parmesan and bay leaves, is enhanced by the sour cut of lemons. Alternatively, spicy sausage ragus with chili and smoky chipotle are also given a boost by half a lemon squeezed in just at the end before serving. For my quick pasta recipe of spiced fusilli with lemon and poached eggs see here.
Now let us consider lemon in sweets, delicious citrusy desserts complemented by copious amounts of sugar! Whip into cream for pies, stir into cake batter (see my limoncello cake recipe here), simmer to make lemon curd and squeeze all over sweet crepes. For tasty drinks, mix with hot water and honey, squeeze into green tea, or create jugs of delicious lemonade or alcoholic punches.
Of course, simply just squeezing lemon over ingredients can make a world of difference; stirred through bowls of spicy couscous, squeezed over salads of lettuce and peppery rocket, on top of comforting ladles of celeriac soup, massaged onto roasted chicken, or simply tossed through side plates of asparagus or green beans. The options go on and on, the versatility is undeniable.
How do you use lemons?
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