1 food 5 ways: lemons: pucker up to sun-kissed flavor

As most of us make temporary peace with winter's short days, cold nights and iced-over gardens, there's one crop that's still going strong in sunny California and southern Florida: lemons. And there's no time of year that the flavor of these golden orbs shines brighter than right now.

The juice of half a lemon perks up soups, stews and sauces in a single squeeze. A teaspoon or two of lemon zest can make a box of yellow cake mix taste like a from-scratch confection. Lemon juice works small miracles on other fruits--a sprinkling keeps apples and pears from browning (the citric acid does it) and brightens the flavor of not-quite-ripe berries and so-so stone fruits.

When shopping, select lemons that feel heavy for their size. Rough-skinned lemons will yield more zest, while smooth-skinned fruits are easier to squeeze for their juice.

Lisbon and Eureka are the lemon varieties you're likely to find in the supermarket. The two are practically interchangeable when it comes to flavor. Meyer lemons, on the other hand, are rounder, sweeter and more fragrant--a cross between a lemon and an orange--but less readily available. Whatever kind of lemons you're shopping for, buy lots. As culinary cure-alls go, lemons top the charts.

Nutritional Profile

One medium-sized lemon contains: Calories 22, Fat 0g, Fiber 5g, Vit. C 83mg, Calcium 66mg, Potassium 157mg

From the USDA National Nutrient Database

1

NO-BAKE LEMON PIE

Serves 8

Lemon curd is a creamy, sweet-tart
spread served with scones and tea in
England. The lightened-up version
in this easy-to-make pie filling also
doubles as a dessert sauce for cake and
gingerbread. Or try it on pancakes
for a tangy morning treat.

1 cup sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
3 large eggs
1 5-oz. can fat-free evaporated milk
1 cup lemon juice
1 Tbs. lemon zest
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into
  small pieces
1 9-inch prepared graham
  cracker crust
Fresh or candied lemon slices,
  optional

1. Combine sugar and cornstarch in
bowl. Set aside. Whisk together eggs
and evaporated milk in another bowl.
Add lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar-cornstarch
mixture to eggs; whisk to
combine. Transfer to saucepan.

2. Bring mixture to a boil over medium
heat, whisking constantly. Continue to
cook 3 minutes, whisking constantly, or
until mixture has thickened and whisk
strokes leave defined lines in mixture.
Remove from heat, and whisk in butter
until melted. Press lemon curd through
sieve into bowl to eliminate any lumps.

3. Pour curd into graham cracker crust.
Cool on wire rack, and chill well before
serving. Decorate with flesh or candied
lemon slices, if desired.

PER SERVING: 294 CAL; 5G PROT; 11G TOTAL FAT (4.5G SAT. FAT); 45G CARB; 93MG CHOL; 175MG SOD; 1G FIBER; 29G SUGARS

2

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER SOUP
WITH GREMOLATA

Serves 6 * Vegan

Gremolata is a classic Italian garnish
made with parsley, garlic and lemon
zest. Because gremolata keeps up to
a week in the fridge, you may want to
double or triple the recipe, then use it
as a garnish for pasta, stews and bean
dishes (especially white beans).

Gremolata

3 Tbs. chopped parsley
3 cloves garlic, chopped
  (about 1 Tbs.)
1 Tbs. lemon zest

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, thinly
  sliced (about 1 cup)
1 large clove garlic, sliced
1 medium-sized apple, peeled,
  cored and diced
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
  (about 5 cups)
2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1. To make Gremolata: Combine
parsley, garlic and lemon zest in small
bowl. Set aside.

2. To make Creamy Cauliflower Soup:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium
heat. Add onion, garlic and apple, and
saute 7 minutes, or until soft. Stir in
remaining ingredients, and cook
2 minutes more. Add 4 cups water,
and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to
medium-low, and simmer 15 to 20
minutes, or until cauliflower florets are
very tender. Let cool 10 minutes.

3. Puree soup with immersion blender
or in small batches in blender or food
processor. Return soup to saucepan, and
bring to a simmer. Season to taste with
salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, and
top each serving with 1 Tbs. gremolata.

PER SERVING: 89 CAL 2G PROT; 45G TOTAL FAT (05G SAT FAT); 11G CARB; 0MG CHQL; 27MG SOD; 3G FIBER: 6G SUGARS

3

WARM LEMON PUDDING CAKES
WITH BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

Serves 8

These little cakes, based on an old
Amish recipe, bake into two layers--one
creamy and the other cake-like.

Pudding Cakes

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp. lemon zest
3 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cups nonfat milk

Blueberry Compote

2 cups frozen blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat 8 6-oz.
ramekins or custard cups with cooking
spray, and set in large roasting pan.

2. To make Pudding Cakes: Put butter,
1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in large
bowl. Beat with an electric mixer
on high until light and fluffy. Add
egg yolks 1 at a time, and beat until
incorporated. Beat in flour and lemon
juice. Add milk, and beat until
combined; mixture will look lumpy.

3. Beat egg whites in separate bowl
until foamy. Slowly add 1/2 cup sugar,
beating until whites form stiff, glossy
peaks. Fold into lemon mixture.

4. Spoon batter into ramekins. Set pan
on middle rack of oven. Pour enough
hot water into roasting pan to reach
halfway up ramekins. Bake 25 to 30
minutes, until tops are puffed and
cracked. Remove ramekins from water
with tongs; set on wire rack to cool.

5. To make Blueberry Compote:
Simmer all ingredients in small
saucepan over medium heat until
slightly thickened, stirring occasionally,
about 10 minutes. Serve with cakes.

PER SERVING: 237 CAL; 5G PROT; 8G TOTAL FAT (4.5G SAT FAT); 38G CARB; 97MG CHOL; 45MG SOD; 1G FIBER 30G SUGARS

4

ARUGULA SALAD WITH TANGY
LEMON MINT DRESSING

Serves 8 * 30 minutes or fewer

Lemon is a lighter choice than vinegar
for salad dressings--it won't overpower
tender greens. Fresh mint tames some
of lemon's tartness, so all you're left
with is bright, citrusy flavor.

Lemon-Mint Dressing

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs. sugar

Salad

4 cups baby arugula, washed
  and dried
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 oz. Romano cheese, shaved into
  curls with vegetable peeler
  (about 1/4 cup)

1. To make Lemon-Mint Dressing:
Whisk all ingredients together in bowl.

2. To assemble Salad: Combine all
ingredients in large bowl. Pour dressing
over salad mixture, and toss to coat.
Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 79 CAL: 2G PROT; 6G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT FAT); 5G CARB 4MG CHOL; 49MG SOD; 1G FIBER; 3G SUGARS

5

EGGPLANT AND PORTOBELLO
SCHNITZEL

Serves 8

Oh, what a difference lemon and
capers make on oven-fried vegetables!
This twist on classic Wiener Schnitzel
is simple to prepare, yet the elegant
flavors and presentation make it ideal
for entertaining.

Schnitzel

1 cup nonfat milk
1 large egg
2 cups Italian-seasoned dried
  breadcrumbs
8 large portobello mushrooms,
  stemmed
2 medium-sized eggplants, sliced
  into 1/2-inch rounds

Lemon-Caper Sauce

3 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 tsp. capers
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. parsley, chopped
Lemon slices and parsley sprigs
for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat baking
sheet with cooking spray.

2. To make Schnitzel: Whisk together
milk and egg in wide bowl. Spread
breadcrumbs on large plate. Dip
mushrooms and eggplant slices into
milk mixture, then coat slices with
breadcrumbs. Shake off excess crumbs,
and set on prepared baking sheet.

Spray vegetables with cooking spray,
and bake 10 minutes. Flip vegetables,
spray with cooking spray, and bake
10 to 15 minutes more, or until
vegetables are tender and breadcrumbs
are dark golden brown. Set aside.

3. To make Lemon-Caper Sauce:
Melt butter in saucepan over medium high
heat. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or
until butter begins to brown. Stir in oil
and capers, and cook 1 minute more.
Remove from heat, and add lemon
juice and parsley.

4. To serve: Stack 1 mushroom and
several eggplant rounds on each plate;
drizzle with Lemon-Caper Sauce, and
garnish with lemon slices and parsley
sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 292 CAL; 11G PROT; 12.5G TOTAL FAT (3.5G SAT. FAT); 38G CARB; 39MG CHOL; 499MG SOD; 7G FIBER; 10G SUGARS

STILL LIFE BY BILL MCKENNEY

tip

TO MAKE JUICING LEMONS EVEN EASIER, GENTLY PRESS DOWN WHILE ROLLING THEM OVER A WORK SURFACE. TEN SECONDS IN THE MICROWAVE GETS OUT EVEN MORE JUICE.

While studying cooking in France, writer Mary Margaret Chappell was told that the best way to judge pastry chefs was by their lemon tart, so she put extra care into this one.

Lemons are a staple for recipe developer Fiona Kennedy--she says there isn't a dish that can't benefit from a little lemon lift.

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