September 14, 2012

• For David ~ When Life Gives You Lemons, Make…?

   

   

   

  

   

  Lemon Asparagus

  The asparagus and lemon in this dish provide a great boost to the immune system. And the delicious flavours are a great way to welcome spring and take a sneak peak at summer!

  Ingredients (Serves 4)

  1 bunch asparagus (about 6-8 spears per person)

  Juice & grated zest of 1 lemon

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  Handful fresh herbs (e.g. chives)

   

  Method

  1. Break off the woody ends of the asparagus. Hold an end of the asparagus in each hand and bend gently until it snaps. This removes the woody part, which is delicious in stocks or soups.

  2. Wash well.

  3. Steam the asparagus for 5-7 minutes, depending on its thickness, until softened but still with texture.

  4. Mix the lemon juice, grated zest, olive oil and herbs. It’s easiest done by shaking the ingredients in a jar.

  5. Drain the asparagus and arrange on plates. Drizzle the dressing over the spears.

  6. Season with salt and pepper, if wished. Serve immediately.

  Time From Cupboard-To-Table 10 minutes

  You can make this without the oil, but it’s not as creamy.

   

  Lemon Butter Courgettes

  This is a delicious recipe for using early-season courgettes – packed with flavour.

  Ingredients (Serves 4)

  4 medium courgettes

  Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon

  30g butter

  1 tablespoon olive oil (stops the butter from burning)

  salt & pepper to taste

   

  Method

  1. Wash the courgettes and trim the stalk and the base.

  2. Slice the courgettes about 1 ½ cm thick.

  3. Gently melt the butter with the oil in a large frying pan, until it is just sizzling.

  4. Sauté the courgettes, until golden. Note: you may need to do this in batches, keeping cooked batches warm as you sauté the next.

  5. Return all the courgettes to the pan and add the lemon juice and zest. Mix well and gently reheat.

  For a healthier option, miss out the butter, use half the oil and add the lemon juice at the beginning of cooking. This will give you more of a steamed courgette taste, which isn’t quite as sweet and smooth, but is still lovely.

   

  Lemon Hummus

   

  

  Fresh lemon rind and juice really lifts this hummus recipe, as well as adding a useful does of vitamin C. The chickpeas and tahini give you a calcium boost and the garlic is great for your immune system. Just as well it tastes delicious, too!

  Ingredients (Serves 4 as a side dish)

  200g chickpeas, cooked

  2 tablespoons tahini paste (sesame seed paste)

  Juice and grated rind from 1 lemon

  1 clove garlic

  A few tablespoons extra water

  Salt & pepper to taste

   

  Method

  1. Put the garlic, tahini grated lemon rind and lemon juice in a blender and blitz until smooth.

  2. Add the chick peas with 2-3 tablespoons water and blitz again, to form a smooth paste. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

  Note: if you don’t have a suitable blender, you can make this recipe by cooking the chickpeas until they are soft and then mashing them, but the texture is much coarser. Garnish with paprika before serving with a slice of lemon. 

  Notes & Variations Delicious with pitta bread, crudités, or as a jacket potato topping.

   

   

  Lemon Lentils

  

  Lentils don’t have to be boring… Adding lemon and optional spices to this dish perks it up and gives you an autumn evening boost.

  Ingredients (Serves 4)

  200g red lentils

  1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

  2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

  Juice and rind of 1 lemon

  15ml olive or sunflower oil

  750ml vegetable stock

  1 bay leaf

   

  Method

  1. Gently heat the oil in a large pan.Add the onions and garlic and stir to coat with the oil. Cover and saute for 5 minutes.

  2. Add the lentils with 1/3 of the stock and the bay leaf. It will spit and hiss a bit, because the pan is hot. Stir well and simmer gently until most of the water has boiled off. Add the lemon juice & rind.

  3. Then add half the remaining stock. Stir well and simmer again.

  4. Keep going until the lentils are well cooked and mushy. Add more water if they start to dry out too much. Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Delicious served with rice and mango chutney.

  Notes & Variations

  Experiment with herbs and spices, to create your own “signature dish” with this one. You can keep it simple or jazz it up, depending what you fancy. One of our favourite variations is to add 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, chopped, at the end of cooking.

   

  Lemon Meringue Pie

   

  

  Whilst the calorie content isn’t for the faint-hearted, it melts in your mouth and is a lovely treat.

  Ingredients (Serves 6)

  1 large tin of condensed milk

  Juice and grated rind of 2 lemons

  2 eggs

  2 level teaspoons of cream of tartar

  2 oz castor sugar

  1 pasty case 8″-9″ or enough shortcrust pastry to line an 8 inch flan tin

   

  Method

  1. Mix together the condensed milk and lemon juice and rind with the egg yolks and cream of tartar.

  2. Roll out the pastry to line a flan tin or use a ready-prepared pastry case.

  3. Pour this mixture into baked pastry case.

  4. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, fold in the sugar and the cream of tartar.

  5. Pile on top of the pie, making sure you seal the edges of the pastry with the meringue.

  6. Bake until set in a cool oven (Gas Mark 2 or 100 degrees C) for an hour or so.

   Notes & Variations on Lemon Meringue Pie

  If you don’t want to use the merringue topping, just miss it out – the recipe then makes a lemon tart.

   

   

  Lemon Kiss Cookies

  

  Delicious lemon cookie with surprise chocolate kiss inside.

   

  Ingredients

  * 1 1/2 cups butter

  * 3/4 cup sugar

  * 3 tablespoons lemon juice

  * 2 3/4 cups flour

  * 1 1/2 cups almonds, chopped

  * 1 (14 ounce) package milk chocolate candy kisses

  * powdered sugar

  * 1 tablespoon shortening

  * 1/2 cup chocolate chips

   

  Directions

  1. In large bowl beat butter, sugar and lemon juice until light and fluffy.

  2. Add flour and almonds; beat at slow speed until well mixed.

  3. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour for easier handling.

  4. Heat oven to 375°F.

  5. Shape a tablespoon full of dough around each chocolate kiss, covering it completely.

  6. Roll in hand to form ball.

  7. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes or until set and the edges are lightly, golden brown.

  8. After removing from oven allow to partially cool on baking sheet until firm enough to lift (about 10 minutes) then cool on racks completely.

  9. Lightly dust cookies with powdered sugar.

  10. In small pan, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth.

  11. Drizzle over each cookie. Makes 1 large batch.

   

  Lemon & Cranberry Biscotti With a Hint of Cardamom

  

  Crunchie, Tart, Sweet,and good! Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

   

  Ingredients

  * 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

  * 1 cup sugar

  * 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

  * 2 teaspoons baking powder

  * 1 tablespoon grated fresh lemon rind

  * 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  * 1 tablespoon lemon extract

  * 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  * 3 large eggs

  * 1/4 cup dried cranberries

  * cooking spray

  * 2/3 cup powdered sugar

  * 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  * 3-5 drops yellow food coloring

   

  Directions

  1 Preheat oven to 350°.

  2 Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.

  3 Combine flour, sugar,cardamom and baking powder in a large bowl.

  4 Combine rind, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, extract, oil, and eggs, and add to flour mixture, mix in cranberries stirring until well-blended (dough will be dry and crumbly).

  5 Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 7 to 8 times.

  6 Divide dough in half.

  7 Shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll.

  8 Place rolls 6 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; flatten each roll to 1-inch thickness.

  9 Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

  10 Remove the rolls from baking sheet; cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

  11 Cut each roll diagonally into 15 (1/2-inch) slices.

  12 Place the slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet.

  13 Reduce oven temperature to 325° bake for 10 minutes.

  14 Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (the cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool).

  15 Remove from baking sheet, and cool completely on wire rack.

  16 Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice, yellow food coloring and powdered sugar, and drizzle over the biscotti.

   

   

  See how I listen to your woes David?

   

   

   

  • 3:09 pm
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