topic Re: lemons! in Kitchen

lemons!

Sammijo10 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:12:14 GMT

Despite the fact I live in the cold and snowy northeast, I have a dwarf meyer lemon tree with about 9 lovely specimens waiting to be used in yummy recipes. What is your favorite lemon recipe? I' d like to make them "go"as far as possible - that is as many dishes as possible for my limited harvest. Thought about that starbucks lemon cake to start, but need more ideas! I've googled lemon recipes and saw hundreds and despite web reviews on many, would appreciate all of your best lemon adventures. Thanks!

Re: lemons!

Harpa — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:34:42 GMT

Lucky you with your ready to harvest lemons! They wouldn't last long at my house; I use about 1 lemon per day.

I tried Aarti's Moroccan Carrot Salad recipe and really enjoyed it, if you feel like trying something totally different. I was pleasantly surprised to try lemons that way, and was trying to think of what other combinations I could use with cooked lemons. (Haven't yet.)

Re: lemons!

m0rgan — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 20:01:34 GMT

What about lemon curd? You can put it in yogurt, on pound cake and over mixed fruit bowl.

Re: lemons!

Sammijo10 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 20:17:38 GMT

Lemon curd might be a great idea.

Re: lemons!

RespectLife — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 21:52:57 GMT

Sammijo...Off topic but I would so love to know more info on that tree!

Do you have it potted in your house I assume? Where did you purchase it? How big does it get...how much sun, warmth etc. does it need?

I live in Western New York frozen tundra and never thought I could grow a lemon tree! I can never even find Meyer lemons in the stores...just ugly regular ones.

Any info and advice would be so appreciated!!

TIA!

Re: lemons!

lolakimono — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 21:56:34 GMT

Someone (not sure who) posted this a while back-

Lemon "Brownies"

Ingredients for the brownies:

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

zest of 1/2 lemon

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

for the glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

zest of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare an 8 x 8 pan by spraying with cooking spray or lining with foil, and set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the lemon juice. Add the flour and salt, and mix until just combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean. Let cool 10-15 minutes.

To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then pour over the brownies, spreading evenly to coat. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Re: lemons!

Sakuya — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 21:58:53 GMT

Is a lemon brownie the same as a lemon square?

Re: lemons!

lolakimono — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 22:00:14 GMT

On 1/26/2015 Sakuya said: Is a lemon brownie the same as a lemon square?

I guess- not sure why the poster had posted the recipe as a ""brownie.""

Re: lemons!

lulu2 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 22:18:00 GMT

On 1/26/2015 lolakimono said:
Someone (not sure who) posted this a while back-

Lemon "Brownies"

Ingredients for the brownies:

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

zest of 1/2 lemon

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

for the glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

zest of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare an 8 x 8 pan by spraying with cooking spray or lining with foil, and set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the lemon juice. Add the flour and salt, and mix until just combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean. Let cool 10-15 minutes.

To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then pour over the brownies, spreading evenly to coat. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

That is a lemon brownie recipe.

Lemon squares/bars recipe

Ingredients

For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Copyright 1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Re: lemons!

lulu2 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 22:18:56 GMT

On 1/26/2015 Sakuya said: Is a lemon brownie the same as a lemon square?

No, they are very different.

Re: lemons!

brewhaha — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 22:19:48 GMT

Lemon cheesecake

Re: lemons!

Sakuya — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 22:34:39 GMT

Interesting. If they are different I would have expected the flour to be in the brownie and not the lemon bar. I love lemon so am happy to have new things to try!

Re: lemons!

Sammijo10 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 23:49:05 GMT

On 1/26/2015 RespectLife said:
Sammijo...Off topic but I would so love to know more info on that tree!

Do you have it potted in your house I assume? Where did you purchase it? How big does it get...how much sun, warmth etc. does it need?

I live in Western New York frozen tundra and never thought I could grow a lemon tree! I can never even find Meyer lemons in the stores...just ugly regular ones.

Any info and advice would be so appreciated!!

TIA!

Well this is year no. 2 for my little tree. Yes its inside in a pot and so far its about 30 inches tall including the pot which is about 12 inches tall. I put it in a south window in the fall/winter and move it to the patio for the summer. I found it in a local nursery in the "sale"section two years ago in the fall. It was such a good price that I figured what the heck! I then did some internet digging on the care and feeding of it and except for that first winter I've gotten about a dozen lemons. Of course they all come at once! I found out that when the blossoms appear in the spring (they smell divine, btw) I have to pollinate them with a q-tip as its too early to put the tree outside! They grow slowly too, which is good. Hope this helps.

Re: lemons!

JustJules — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 00:06:44 GMT

On 1/26/2015 Sammijo said:
On 1/26/2015 RespectLife said:
Sammijo...Off topic but I would so love to know more info on that tree!

Do you have it potted in your house I assume? Where did you purchase it? How big does it get...how much sun, warmth etc. does it need?

I live in Western New York frozen tundra and never thought I could grow a lemon tree! I can never even find Meyer lemons in the stores...just ugly regular ones.

Any info and advice would be so appreciated!!

TIA!

Well this is year no. 2 for my little tree. Yes its inside in a pot and so far its about 30 inches tall including the pot which is about 12 inches tall. I put it in a south window in the fall/winter and move it to the patio for the summer. I found it in a local nursery in the "sale"section two years ago in the fall. It was such a good price that I figured what the heck! I then did some internet digging on the care and feeding of it and except for that first winter I've gotten about a dozen lemons. Of course they all come at once! I found out that when the blossoms appear in the spring (they smell divine, btw) I have to pollinate them with a q-tip as its too early to put the tree outside! They grow slowly too, which is good. Hope this helps.

How fun, I would love to have a little lemon tree! I adore lemons, that flavor is so refreshing and they can be used so many ways. The cost of lemons seems to have gone up in my stores, so it's nice you have an abundance of them. Both the recipes for lemon brownies and the bars sound good. Have you considered making candied lemon peel? Also, if you like vodka you could make your own homemade Limoncello liqueur. They say when life hands you lemons make lemonade, you should be set.

Re: lemons!

Dorothy11 — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 00:09:32 GMT

Instead of lemon curd - take it to the next level. Dorie Greenspan's Lemon Cream Tart is the best. The recipe for the lemon cream comes from Pierre Hermé, pastry god of Paris. Dorie co-authored his English baking books. The butter is blended in after the curd is cooked, creating an emulsion similar to a mayonnaise. It is divine. All of the top patisseries in Paris use this type of filling in their tarte au citron.

http://doriegreenspan.com/2011/08/first-id-like-to-thank.html

Re: lemons!

Daysdee — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 00:13:24 GMT

You can squeeze them and freeze the juice in ice cube trays.

Re: lemons!

forrestwolf — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 01:20:18 GMT

Pick them......send them to me....Then I will tell you if they are good enough for you to waste your time to make recipes that call for lemons, which being up North, I will promise you that they will not be worth it, so I will dispose of them properly in my stomach....I mean I will throw them to the foxes.........

Re: lemons!

kristina1 — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 01:28:45 GMT

I make homemade lemoncello every year with the lemons from my lemon tree. Yum!

I also make lemon curd and freeze just the juice. May try to make lemon preserves this year.

Re: lemons!

HandJive — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 01:41:07 GMT

Meyer lemons are sweeter then a regular lemon, they're believed to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin or orange.
Here's an article from the LA Times, 100 things to do with a Meyer lemon. #1 on the list is what I mostly use them for.

Re: lemons!

Sammijo10 — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 02:54:30 GMT

On 1/26/2015 forrestwolf said:
Pick them......send them to me....Then I will tell you if they are good enough for you to waste your time to make recipes that call for lemons, which being up North, I will promise you that they will not be worth it, so I will dispose of them properly in my stomach....I mean I will throw them to the foxes.........

Lol! I'll pack them right up for you, Forest! Kathodray, that's a great list! Thanks for all for the suggestions. I'll be baking during the blizzard - if the power holds up!