Meyer Lemon
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27 Meyer Lemon Recipes to Make the Most of Citrus Season
These extra-fragrant, sweet lemons can help even the simplest cooking shine.
By Tommy Werner and The Editors of Epicurious
Risotto al Limone
Vibrant extra-virgin olive oil, instead of butter, adds the finishing touch to this lemon risotto.
By Jody Williams and Rita Sodi
Cheese Board with Roasted Strawberries, Garlic & Herb Nuts, and Honey & Orange Roasted Figs
Whether mild, rich, creamy, grassy, or nutty, the secret to making the ultimate cheese board is, well, the cheese. Paired with gooey, sweet, salty, citric, and refreshing accompaniments, the variety of flavors offers a taste for everyone. Try this arrangement to make your next occasion magnifique.
By Cheeses of Europe
Turnips with Spicy Meyer Lemon Dressing
These roasted turnips are dressed in a sweet, salty, slightly spicy togarashi-spiked sauce that keeps you coming back for more.
By Konbi, Los Angeles, CA
Avo and Egg
This simple dish of fresh smashed avocado, ripe heirloom tomato, and perfectly poached eggs is finished delicately with fresh lemon juice, herbs, and sea salt.
By Nick Korbee
Avo Smash
This will last for about 2 days in an airtight container, with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface of the smash to prevent oxidation. Pressing down eliminates any air pockets that might also cause the pesky brown spots.
By Nick Korbee
Preserved Lemons
If you can find Meyer lemons, use them for this recipe. Their thinner skin has very little bitterness.
By Chris Morocco
Fresh Fennel and Arugula With Meyer Lemon Dressing
I love crunchy fennel and peppery arugula dressed with a slightly sweet dressing made from Meyer lemons—a fresh-tasting pick-me-up. Meyer lemons are only available in the wintertime, so if you can’t find them, use regular lemon juice and replace a third of it with fresh orange juice.
By Art Smith
Grilled Asparagus and Spring Onions With Lemon Dressing
Fat asparagus stalks won’t fall through the grill grates—and they can char without becoming soft and stringy.
By Dave Muller and Lana Porcello
Sparkling Lemon Cocktail
If you pour the bubbly too quickly, the drink will foam up and over the edge of the glass.
By Rita Sodi and Jody Williams
Absinthe's Golden Yogurt Cake
This moist, simple cake has a tender golden crumb and a subtle citrus flavor. I love a thin slice—okay, a thick slice—in the middle of the afternoon with coffee, but it's also well matched with summer berries and stone fruits. My husband enjoys it for breakfast. Accompany the cake and fruit with a dollop of the Yogurt Cream, if you like. In winter, pair the cake with a citrus compote or poached quince.
This recipe is adapted from one given to me by Bill Corbett, executive pastry chef for the Absinthe Group in San Francisco, who uses yogurt frequently in his desserts. The cake stays moist for a week if stored in a lidded plastic cake container.
By Janet Fletcher
Rigatoni with Lemon-Chile Pesto and Grated Egg
The secret to this silky, lemony sauce is plenty of butter, and the courage to use it all.
By Dawn Perry
Beet Panna Cotta and Meyer Lemon Mousse
Beets for dessert—we were skeptical too, but their sugar content and gorgeous color make for a stunning dish. See more riffs at right.
Preserved Lemons
(Djej Emshmel)
Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Paula Wolfert's book Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco. Wolfert also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.
Preserved lemons, sold loose in the souks, are one of the indispensable ingredients of Moroccan cooking, used in fragrant lamb and vegetable tagines, recipes for chicken with lemons and olives , and salads. Their unique pickled taste and special silken texture cannot be duplicated with fresh lemon or lime juice, despite what some food writers have said. In Morocco they are made with a mixture of fragrant-skinned doqq and tart boussera lemons, but I have had excellent luck with American lemons from Florida and California.
Moroccan Jews have a slightly different procedure for pickling, which involves the use of olive oil, but this recipe, which includes optional herbs (in the manner of Safi), will produce a true Moroccan preserved-lemon taste.
The important thing in preserving lemons is to be certain they are completely covered with salted lemon juice. With my recipe you can use the lemon juice over and over again. (As a matter of fact, I keep a jar of used pickling juice in the kitchen, and when I make Bloody Marys or salad dressings and have half a lemon left over, I toss it into the jar and let it marinate with the rest.) Use wooden utensils to remove the lemons as needed.
Sometimes you will see a sort of lacy, white substance clinging to preserved lemons in their jar; it is perfectly harmless, but should be rinsed off for aesthetic reasons just before the lemons are used. Preserved lemons are rinsed, in any case, to rid them of their salty taste. Cook with both pulps and rinds, if desired.
By Paula Wolfert
Roasted Citrus and Avocado Salad
Baking citrus at a high heat caramelizes the sugars and adds depth. It's just the thing to bring intrigue to salads and more.
By Alison Roman
Endive Cups With Beet, Persimmon and Marinated Feta
This is a gorgeous, seasonal hors d'oeuvre that would be lovely on a table or as a passed appetizer. The tang of the feta compliments the sweetness of the salad and the bitterness of the endive leaf, and the jewel tones of the beet and persimmon make for a beautiful bite.
By Lauryn Tyrell
Meyer Lemon Bars
Low-acid Meyer lemons make the citrus flavor of these bars especially vibrant.
By Sara Kate Gillingham and Faith Durand
Meyer Lemon Cream With Graham Crackers and Sea Salt
Adding cream thins lemon curd and makes it extra spoonable—delicious in more than just this dish.
By Alison Roman
Green Garlic Panisse
A simple snack that takes advantage of the season's first garlic, which is harvested before the bulbs form. Delicious hot or cold.
By David Kinch
Spicy Fennel-Meyer Lemon Mignonette
Can't find Meyer lemons? Mimic their flavor by mixing half lemon zest and juice, and half orange zest and juice.
By Travis Lett