Lemon
Lemon is an oval-shaped fruit with a bulge at one end. It's rich in vitamin C and can be used in a wide variety of dishes.
Although lemon pulp is too tart to eat fresh, its flavor and aroma pair beautifully with a variety of foods and dishes, from sweet to savory. The bright yellow zest of this fruit can also be used in various dishes.
How and when to buy?
Lemons can be bought all year round, but the best ones are from January to March.
Choose lemons that are heavy for their size and have no green areas. If a lemon is green, it's unripe. Also, avoid pale yellow lemons; they're old and have little juice.
Lemons with smooth skins are best for juice, while those with thick, bumpy skins are best for zest. Lemons with zest tend to be quite large.
If you plan to use the zest in cooking, buy lemons from stores. They're not waxed, as is often the case at markets. If you can't find a lemon without wax, wash it thoroughly with a stiff brush before using.
Culinary uses
To extract as much juice as possible from a lemon, let it sit at room temperature for a while, then roll it vigorously across the surface of the table or between your palms—this will soften it. You can also microwave it to soften it, but for no more than 30 seconds.
Fresh lemon slices are served with fish or added to the pan while cooking vegetables or meat. The zest is added to salads, baked goods, or sauces. Lemon juice is used in salad dressings, lemonade, glazes, or added to water for acidification. The pulp and rind are used to make jams and preserves.
Instead of lemons in cooking you can use limes.
Storage
Lemons should be wrapped in a perforated plastic bag and refrigerated for a couple of weeks. Sliced lemons can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
All recipes with lemons
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