Lemon is a tasty but tart fruit and, unlike other citrus fruits, it is unlikely to be eaten raw or alone. Although it is possible to eat it raw, just like an orange, the high acidity that characterizes it can damage the teeth and stomach. There are other popular ways to enjoy this citrus, which generally consist of adding the juice or zest to drinks, sweets and other dishes.
Ingrediants
Lemonade
- 1 cup (230 g) of sugar
- 5 cups (1.2 l) of water
- 6-8 lemons
- Ice to serve the drink
Preserved lemons
- 10 lemons
- 1 cup (150-300 g) of kosher salt
- 1 cup (250 ml) of additional lemon juice
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Eat a Raw Lemon
Step 1. Peel the lemon
Lemon zest can be used to enrich many dishes, but it is definitely not advisable to eat the whole raw peel. To start, take a sharp knife, then cut off the top and bottom bump of the lemon. Place the citrus fruit on one of the two cut sides. Still using the knife, peel it completely by removing one strip at a time.
- As you peel the lemon, try to remove as much of the white fibrous part as possible, as it is quite bitter.
- After peeling the lemon, examine it and remove the white fibrous part still attached to the pulp. You can peel it off with your fingers or cut it off.
- If you plan on eating raw lemons, try to buy only those of the Meyer species. Being sweeter and less acidic than other varieties, they are much more pleasant for this type of consumption.
Step 2. Cut the lemon into wedges
Insert the tip of the knife between 2 lemon wedges and insert the blade between the membrane that covers the wedge and the pulp. In practice, you should obtain the wedges by cutting between the membranes, in order to obtain only the pulp, without the skin that covers it. Cut the wedge all the way through, then repeat on the other side. Remove the wedge from the lemon and place it in a bowl.
- Always cut inside the membrane, so that it does not stick to the clove. This skin is sour and bitter.
- Repeat this process until you have removed all the individual wedges from the lemon.
Step 3. Cut the wedges into bite-sized pieces
Cut each wedge in half to get 2 morsels from each portion. Cut all the wedges, put them back in the bowl.
If you want, you can also leave the wedges whole
Step 4. Serve the lemon
If you want to slightly soften the acidity and make it a little sweeter, sprinkle it with sugar. Sprinkle 1 or 2 teaspoons (5-10g) on the lemon bites and stir to coat them.
Lemon can be eaten alone or sweetened. You can also add it to salads, fruit salads or other dishes
Method 2 of 4: Make the Lemonade
Step 1. Make the sugar syrup
This type of syrup is made using water and sugar in equal proportions. Sugar must be dissolved in water. It is perfect for cold recipes, as the sugar will remain liquid once dissolved. To make it, pour 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water into a saucepan. Adjust the heat to medium and simmer the mixture.
- Once the sugar has dissolved completely, remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside to cool.
- The syrup can be stored in the fridge for several weeks. Want to make more for another recipe? Double the doses of water and sugar, then divide it once cold.
Step 2. Make the lemon juice
While you wait for the sugar syrup to cool, squeeze the juice from 5-8 lemons until you have a full cup (250ml) of liquid. You can peel the lemons and put them in an extractor or cut them in half and make the juice with a manual juicer.
- If you want to make a limeade, that is, a lime lemonade, completely replace the lemon juice with that of lime. If, on the other hand, you want to make a lemon and lime drink, mix both juices using the doses you prefer.
- If you want to save yourself the trouble of squeezing lemons, you can use bottled juice. However, the results will not be the same, because the bottled juice does not taste the same as the fresh one.
Step 3. Mix all the ingredients
In a large jug, mix the syrup, lemon juice, and the last 4 cups (950 ml) of water. Mix the ingredients well, the lemonade will be ready. You can also garnish it with:
- Twigs of fresh herbs and flowers, such as thyme, basil, rosemary and lavender;
- Slices of fresh lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit
- Pineapple wedges.
Step 4. Put the lemonade in the fridge and serve it on ice
Place the jug of lemonade in the refrigerator and let it cool for about half an hour. To serve, fill a highball glass with ice and pour the drink over it. The leftover lemonade can be stored in the fridge for a few days.
To make a lemon soda, mix equal parts of lemonade and soda water. Serve the drink with a splash of lemon juice
Method 3 of 4: Prepare Preserved Lemons
Step 1. Get everything you need
Preserved lemons are prepared by adding salt to citrus fruits and letting them rest inside for several weeks. They are perfect for making salads, dressings, soups, sauces, vegetable dishes and other dishes. To make them you will need:
- The ingredients indicated in the list above;
- Fresh lemon juice
- A knife;
- A 1 liter preserving jar with lid.
Step 2. Sterilize the preserving jar
Wash it in the dishwasher and leave it inside until it's time to fill it with lemons. Wash the lid and the seal by hand in hot soapy water.
If you don't have a dishwasher, wash the jar by hand in hot soapy water. Then, put it on a baking sheet and bake it at 100 ° C. Leave it in the oven until it is time to use it
Step 3. Wash and cut the lemons
Wash and scrub the lemons with a vegetable brush to clean the zest. Pat them dry with a towel. Cut off the stalk and top end of each lemon, while leaving the bottom bump intact.
The lemons must be cut into 4 parts, but they must not be separated from the base. This is why the lower protuberance should not be cut
Step 4. Cut the lemons
Cut each lemon in half starting from the top. Stop cutting it about 1.5 cm from the bottom, so that the 2 halves stick to the base. Then, cut the 2 parts in half to get 4 wedges. Again, stop cutting about 1.5 cm from the bottom so that they stick together at the base.
By keeping the 4 wedges attached to the base, you can fill them evenly with salt and this will allow you to prepare the preserves in the right way
Step 5. Fill the lemons with salt
Take the salt you have prepared and subtract 4 tablespoons (70 g) from it. Separate the wedges and sprinkle the remaining salt on the pulp. Once you have salted all the lemons, bring the wedges back together by pressing them.
Salt has preservative properties, as it prevents the proliferation of microbes and bacteria. It therefore allows to keep away the pathogens that cause the fruit to decompose
Step 6. Prepare the jar
Remove the jar from the dishwasher or oven. If it has any water residue, dry it with a clean towel. Pour about 2 tablespoons (35 g) of salt into the bottom of the container, enough to make a generous layer.
Step 7. Insert the lemons into the jar
Put 2 or 3 salted lemons in the jar. Press them well to release the juice. Continue adding more lemons, pressing them down to make room and release the juice.
- Insert all the lemons, make sure they are covered with juice. Pour the cup of freshly squeezed juice into the jar if you need more liquid to cover the citrus.
- Sprinkle the remaining salt over the lemons and put the lid on.
Step 8. Let the pickled lemons rest
Move the jar to a warm place, such as on the kitchen counter, and let it sit for 30 days. Turn the jar upside down a couple of times every 3 or 4 days to stir the salt and juice, preventing them from settling to the bottom.
After 30 days, the preserved lemons will be ready to be used
Step 9. Use them in your favorite dishes
Once the lemons are prepared, you can remove the individual wedges or whole citrus fruits and use them in the kitchen. Take a wedge or lemon and wash it to remove the salt. The seeds and pulp must be removed and thrown away. Use the zest and juice to make salads and other recipes.
Pickled lemons can be stored for up to a year without refrigeration
Method 4 of 4: Other Ideas for Eating Lemons
Step 1. Try lemon curd
It's a tangy, pungent dessert that can be spread on other foods, used as a garnish, or eaten on its own. It goes very well with other types of fruit, for example you can use it to fill a tart. It is ideal for rediscovering the freshness of summer at any time of the year.
Step 2. Make the lemon sugar
As the name suggests, it is plain sugar flavored with fresh lemon juice. You can use it just as if it were any sweetener, but it is particularly suitable for garnishing cookies and sweets.
Step 3. Make the lemon glaze
Many desserts go well with lemon icing, including poppy seed cakes, muffins, cantucci, and even fresh fruit or ice cream.
Step 4. Use fresh lemon juice
Lemon juice is rich in vitamins and consuming it is very healthy. There are several methods that allow you to use fresh lemon juice to prepare meals and drinks, including:
- Add it to smoothies;
- Squeeze it on fresh fruit to flavor it and prevent it from blackening;
- Drink it with hot or cold water;
- Sprinkle it on the fish;
- Add it to salad dressings and sauces;
- Add it to sweets.
Step 5. Make a lemon poke cake
It is a delicious, fresh and citrusy dessert that can be served on any occasion: birthdays, Mother's or Father's Day and other holidays.
The poke cake is a particularly tasty dessert. In fact, since it is pierced, the holes can be filled with cream or icing, in this case with lemon
Step 6. Try lemon pepper
It is a quick and easy condiment to make. It is tasty and goes perfectly with many dishes. You can use it to flavor meat, fish, vegetables, soups, salads and other side dishes.
You can also add orange zest or lime to the mixture in order to change the flavor of the dressing for other recipes
Step 7. Make lemon flavored olive oil
Light and tasty, olive oil is great for dressing salads and pasta. By flavoring it with lemon, you will obtain an oil with citrus notes that will give that extra touch of freshness to any dish.
Lemon flavored olive oil is perfect for winter because it brings the taste of summer to the table
Warnings
- Lemons have a high content of citric acid, which damages tooth enamel. After eating one, avoid washing it for at least 30 minutes, or you risk doing further damage.
- After eating a lemon, rinse your mouth with water and, if you don't suffer from intolerances, consume milk or derivatives to neutralize the acidity.
