To be able to use a lemon just cut it in half, but it is only by dedicating a little more attention to the cut that you can make it suitable for different uses. For example, you should remove the ends before slicing it into wedges, or you can cut it in half, lengthwise, to be able to extract as much juice as possible. If you wish, you can use lemon zest to create refined decorations in a few simple steps.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Cut the lemon into wedges
Step 1. Cut the "head" and "tail" of the lemon
Place the lemon on the cutting board and hold it steady with one hand. Grab a sharp knife in your dominant hand and trim the lemon at both ends. At this point, it should be shaped like a barrel resting on its side.
- Just remove 1-2 cm of zest on both sides.
- This method requires that the lemon is subsequently cut into 8 wedges. If you need 16 small wedges, cut it in half crosswise after trimming the ends. At this point, perform the next steps with each half of the lemon, as if they were two separate fruits.
Step 2. Lay the lemon vertically and cut it into four equal parts
Place it vertically on the cutting board, with one end you trimmed with the knife facing you. Cut the lemon in the center to divide it lengthwise in half, then rotate it 90 degrees and divide it into two parts again: you will get four identical wedges.
Hold the lemon steady with your non-dominant hand as you cut it, but be careful not to bring it close to the blade
Step 3. Remove the fibrous part and seeds from the lemon wedges
Take a clove and hold it vertically, grabbing it by the zest. Eliminate the fibrous white part that is in the center of the fruit, the spongy one in which the seeds are enclosed, trimming it with the knife. Throw it away along with the seeds.
The fibrous part in question is about 1 cm thick and is positioned on the thinnest part of each clove
Step 4. Cut the four wedges in half to create 8 wedges
Place them one at a time on the cutting board with the rind facing down. Hold the wedge still with your non-dominant hand while cutting it in half. In the end you will have obtained 8 identical lemon wedges.
- You can add lemon wedges to a cold drink or use them to decorate a fish or seafood dish.
- You can store lemon wedges in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Method 2 of 3: Slice a Lemon to Squeeze It
Step 1. Bring the lemon to room temperature if it is cold
You will be able to get more juice if the lemon is lukewarm, so place it on the kitchen counter and wait for it to come to room temperature. Alternatively, you can let it soak in hot (not boiling) water for 3-5 minutes or heat it in the microwave for no more than 10-15 seconds.
This step is only necessary if the lemon was in the refrigerator
Step 2. Roll the lemon on the table to soften it a little
When it has come to room temperature, roll it back and forth on the table or kitchen counter by applying steady pressure with your palm. By squeezing it while rolling it, you will weaken the internal membranes to get more juice.
Be careful not to squeeze it too hard to avoid the risk of breaking it and dispersing the juice on the cutting board
Step 3. Cut the lemon in half lengthwise, rather than crosswise (option 1)
Most people have a habit of cutting the lemon in half around the circumference, carving it where it is widest. However, if you cut it in half lengthwise, the amount of pulp exposed will be greater, so you will be able to easily extract more juice.
Break the inner membranes of the lemon with a fork before squeezing it to be able to extract even more juice
Step 4. Cut the lemon into 3 parts instead of in half (option 2)
Instead of cutting it in half around the circumference, at the point where it is widest, divide it into 3 parts by making two cross cuts at the same distance. Break the membranes of the pulp with your fork before squeezing it.
Cutting the lemon into three parts instead of half is an easy way to expose more pulp. You can make a comparison by imagining that you are pouring water through a funnel with a wide rather than a narrow mouth
Step 5. Trim the sides of the lemon to give it a square shape (option 3)
Hold it vertically on the cutting board with your free hand, so that you have a view of its circular section. Trim the lemon on all 4 sides using the knife, so that it takes on a square shape rather than a circular one.
- Squeeze the squared body of the lemon to extract as much juice as possible, then squeeze each of the 4 pieces you cut.
- If you don't want to get your hand dirty when squeezing the middle section of the lemon, you can use a latex glove.
Method 3 of 3: Making Glass Decorations with Lemon
Step 1. Cut a large slice of lemon about 1 cm thick from the center of the fruit
Place the lemon sideways on the cutting board and divide it in half. Take one half and cut a slice about 1 cm thick from the side where the pulp is exposed. Place the lemon wedge on the cutting board.
- You can squeeze the rest of the fruit or cut it into wedges, depending on your needs.
- If you want to decorate more than one glass, trim the lemon at one end and then cut it whole into slices about 1 cm thick.
Step 2. Divide the lemon wedge in half, leaving the zest intact at the top
Place the lemon slice on the cutting board, then insert the tip of the knife into the pulp, just below the zest, at the point indicated by 12 o'clock if you imagine that the slice represents the face of a clock. Cut the lemon wedge in half starting from the indicated point. Score the pulp and zest on the underside of the slice with a perfectly vertical cut.
Imagine cutting a pizza in half with a pizza cutter and stopping before you dent the ledge on one side
Step 3. Make an incision along the inner perimeter of the zest and extract the pulp of the lemon
Start at the bottom of the slice, where you also cut the zest. Run the tip of the knife along the entire inner perimeter of the zest. When the pulp is completely separated from the rind, throw it away.
When you are done, you will have a circle of yellow peel on the outside and white on the inside, open only in one place
Step 4. Twist the ends of the zest in opposite directions to create a spiral
Grab the two ends of the circle and pull them out to get a stretched strip of zest. At this point, rotate your hands in the opposite direction 180 degrees: one towards you and one away from you. Then he modifies the grip so that he can make a second rotation of 180 degrees (for a total of 360 degrees).
- This twisting motion will create a spiral of lemon zest. The spiral will keep its shape intact even after you let go of the ends.
- If you want the spiral to have more turns, rotate the ends another 180 degrees.
- Place the lemon zest on the edge of the glass to liven up your cocktails.
- You can use the same process to create decorations with lime zest.
