Have you ever noticed preserved lemons as an ingredient in various recipes? Surely, you would have. It is also quite possible that you have noticed them on shelves in the supermarket. But do you really know what preserved lemons are? Preserved lemons are the ones that have been soaked in their own juices along with salt and oil. This allows lemons to lose their bitter taste and eventually become much sweeter. This form of lemon is extensively used in the preparation of Moroccan food.

Though it may take up to three weeks before you can actually consume preserved lemons, it is quite easy to prepare preserved lemon recipes such as this one at home.

Ingredients:

Lemons – 10-12 (it is preferable to use Meyer lemons as they are already sweet to taste)
Lemons to extract juice – 6
Kosher coarse salt
Big mason jar

Directions: Wash 12 Meyer lemons thoroughly and dry them with a paper towel. Quarter them all but make sure that they still remain intact with the stem. In other words, cut only the upper portions, while the last half inch joins the quartered leaves with the bottom of the lemons, which remain uncut.

Next, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the coarse kosher salt into each of the 12 lemons. Now, squeeze out the juice of the 6 remaining lemons. Place around 3 tablespoons of the kosher salt at the mason jar’s bottom. Put a layer of salted lemons over it and sprinkle them with salt again. Repeat this with another layer of lemons and kosher salt and repeat this procedure until three fourths of the jar is full.

Now, fill the jar with lemon juice and leave some space for the juice that will come from salted lemons placed inside. Seal the jar and keep it at room temperature. Place it upside down after every 4-5 days. Let the lemons stay in jar for around a month prior to using it. As the rind becomes soft, you will know that the lemons can now be served. Do not forget to rinse them before you start using them. Usually, it is rind that is used while cooking, though the flesh may also be used.

Preserved lemon is an essential ingredient in Moroccan cooking. Vegetable tagines, fragrant lamb, salads, and recipes for chicken often have preserved lemons as the main ingredient. The exclusive pickled taste of these lemons cannot be effectively replaced with lime juice or fresh lemon. So, do not wait anymore and try out this new preserved lemon recipe today and add great flavor to your dishes.

Unlike other varieties of lemon, Meyer lemons have sweeter juice, floral scent, less acid, and thinner peel, because of which they are a delight to cook for most chefs.

There are some great Meyer lemon recipes that you can try out in your kitchen. What about sliding Meyer lemon slices under Cornish game hens’ skin? You can strew some more of them in the roasting pan. Now, toss in a few olives and fennel. Another option is to make ice cream from Meyer lemons and load custard with its juice and peel along with a dash of cardamom.

If you can manage to postpone your urge of gratification a little, you can consider making some amazing preserved lemons. Simply fill the Mason jar with quarterly-cut Meyer lemons. Now add 1/4 cup kosher salt to it and lemon juice so as to cover the lemons completely. Store this jar in the refrigerator for at least three weeks. You may even add some more spices to the jar like cinnamon stick, bay leaf, Thai chile (dried), cardamom pod, and black peppercorns. These spices would enhance the flavor of the dish even more.

If you would like to treat your family with something new, you can go for this glazed Meyer lemon cookies recipe. Tempting and easy to make, Meyer lemons make the recipe extra special.

Ingredients:

Flour – 2.5 cups
Sugar – 1.5 cups (or even less as you are using Meyers)
Unsalted butter (softened at room temperature) – 1 cup
2 eggs
Grated lemon peel – 1 Tablespoon
Lemon juice – 1 Tablespoon to 1/4 cup
Cream of tartar – 1.5 Tablespoon
Baking soda – 1 Tablespoon
Salt – 1/4 Tablespoon
Glaze: Lemon juice (1/4 cup or 2 ounces) and powdered sugar (2.5 cups)

Directions: Preheat oven at the temperature of over 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a spacious bowl, one after the other, to form the dough. Drop rounded teaspoons of the dough around 2 inches apart over an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes; cookies may be rotated once for even heating during cooking if necessary. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the top of the cookies while they are still warm.

These are just a few Meyer lemon recipes that have been listed here; there are many more available, some of which I will list below after I discover them. Meyer lemons lend a nice sweet yet slightly tart flavor to the dishes, giving them an amazing flavor. So, what are you waiting for? Just prepare the given recipes until I update you with some more easy-to-make Meyer lemon delicacies to satiate the taste buds of your family and friends.

There are a wide variety of whole lemon chicken dishes found all over the world in several cuisines. Not surprisingly, lemon and chicken are the featured ingredients in all these dishes.

In Canada, chicken pieces are usually deep fried and sweet sauce with the flavor of lemon is coated on these pieces. The popular version in Australia is cooked by crumbing large chicken pieces and basting them with some lemon juice. The chicken pieces are then baked in an oven. At times, people in Australia also prefer to coat chicken in the batter, which is further fried and finally covered with the lemon sauce.

Pollo al limone is the Italian version that involves roasting the whole chicken with some freshly squeezed lemon juice, white whine, mirepoix, and fresh thyme. I know that many of you must have had water in your mouth by now, so given below is a quick recipe of a barbecued whole lemon chicken.

Ingredients:

1 chicken (4 lb or 2 kg)
1 small onion, quartered
1/2 lemon
1/2 tablespoon or 2 ml salt
1/2 tablespoon or 2 ml pepper
2 teaspoons or 10 ml lemon rind, grated
1/4 cup or 50 ml lemon juice
1/4 cup or 50 ml vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon or 2 ml fennel seeds, crushed

Directions: Remove giblets and neck from the chicken and pat it dry inside out. Place the half lemon and onion in the cavity. Sprinkle a pinch of both pepper and salt over the cavity. Now, tuck wings at the back and tie its legs with string. Stir fennel seeds, juice, oil. and lemon rind together. Put the remaining pepper and salt into this mixture and set it aside.

Further, set drip pan foil below one burner of the two burner barbecue. Or you may put in below the centre burner, if yours is a barbecue with three burners. Grease the grill and set chicken on it over the drip pan. Put the burner with the remaining heat to medium.

Brush lemon mixture onto the chicken. Close lid. Let it grill for at least 20 minutes. Brush with the lemon mixture again for around 60 minutes, when the meat registers the temperature of at least 85°C or185°F. Now, transfer the chicken to a platter or cutting board and let it stand for around 10 minutes before you start carving it. Congratulations! Your barbecue whole lemon chicken is ready to serve!

Do not resist the temptation anymore and get going with the hot and tasty chicken. I can almost bet you would be licking your fingers soon after. Watch out!

A crockpot is an electric slow cooker that is comprised of a glazed ceramic pot and a removable lid. It is thermostatically controlled and works on a relatively low temperature. As a result, it can remain on for a long time and continue to cook your lemon chicken or other food until it is very tender. It comes in a different size ranges, usually between two and eight quarts. You can make a variety of dishes in a crockpot such as meat, fish, or vegetables, but for now we will look at how to do lemon chicken.

Here is the basic recipe. You may need to adjust the proportions depending on the number of people you are serving.

Ingredients:

3 pounds chicken, cut from whole fryer or separate pieces
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sherry or chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt and pepper

How to Make: Wash chicken, pat dry and season with salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, and 2 cloves of garlic. Rub seasonings into chicken. Melt butter in a skillet and add chicken to it. Fry until it turns brown. Transfer chicken to the crockpot and sprinkle with little rosemary, oregano, and remaining garlic cloves. Now, add sherry to the skillet and continue to stir until brown bits are loosened. Pour into crockpot.

Cover and cook on low (approximately 200 degrees) for 7 hours. Add lemon juice and cook for another one hour. Place chicken on plate or cutting board and remove the fat from the juices. Pour the liquid over chicken before serving. The liquid portion can be made into a thicker sauce by adding a little cornstarch if desired.

Now your absolutely delicious dish of Crockpot Lemon Chicken is ready to serve. Go ahead and enjoy it!

Some advantages of the slow cooking method when making crockpot chicken lemon are:

• Cooking for several hours allows flavors of your dish to be distributed in a better manner.
• With food cooked at lower temperatures, you minimize the possibility of burning your food which would otherwise stick to the bottom of the pan with overcooking.
• It’s a good cooking medium for making tough meat tender. Besides for lemon chicken, you can use this method effectively with beef stew, steak, or venison.
• The crockpot can definitely be used when you’re entertaining a large crowd or when you’re on holiday. Thanksgiving dinner can easily be done with crockpot while you’re busy with other things.
• Crockpot cooking is relatively convenient. You don’t have to constantly monitor it; just put in all the ingredients and set the temperature. You can work on other things while it cooks slowly and deliciously.

Limoncello is an amazing Italian lemon liqueur. Typically served during summer, it is Italy’s national drink now and can easily be ordered in various restaurants and stores almost anywhere in Italy. An interesting fact about this drink is that it is not at all sour as it does not contain any lemon juice.

The flavor of lemon is due to the lemon zest that is used as an ingredient in its making. Lemon zest is the outermost yellow peel of lemon that comprises its essential oils. Limoncello is generally served chilled and often after the dinner in Italy as a great digestif. However, there is no hard and fast rule and you may enjoy it to refresh yourself on a hot afternoon as well or anytime you wish to have it. Apart from using it as a digestif or cocktail, you can also use this liquor to drizzle over fruit salad or ice cream.

Don’t worry! You need not travel to Italy to savor the taste of Limoncello. It is easy to prepare and you can make it at home by yourself. The foremost thing is to select the right lemons. It is preferable to use organic lemons and the ones that have smooth yet thick skin. This is because smooth skin of lemon allows you to zest lemons in a much easier way than most other lemons. Of course, it’s needless to say that whatever lemons you select should have any stickers removed before you actually use them in a recipe such as this.

The next step is to wash the lemons properly under hot water and dry them with paper towels. Now, you need to zest them and ensure that no pith or white rind part remains attached to their peel. Next, pour vodka in a gallon jar. Put the lemon zest in the jar and cover it. Store the jar in some cool place. Let it settle there for at least 10 days. The flavor of your Limoncello will improve if you let it stand for longer, up to a maximum of about 40 days.

Combine sugar and water in a pan and let it cook for around seven minutes. As the mixture gets thickened, allow it to cool and add it to the vodka mixture and lemon in your gallon jar. Let it cool again for the next 40 days.

Further, strain this mixture and discard the lemon zest. Finally, pour the mixture into bottles and let it stay in your freezer until you wish to serve it. You may simply add ice before serving or mix some tonic water to it for a refreshing lemonade beverage. If you wish to serve it after the dinner, amalgamate one portion of heavy cream to two parts of limoncello.

So, you definitely need to have a little patience if you wish to make limoncello at home, but most people find that it is ultimately worth the effort.

There are thousands of people who like enjoying their best lemonade pie recipe due to all the health benefits they get from this. Lemonade in itself is considered as a very refreshing drink and people have been enjoying this drink since the times of Moguls. Modern science also supports the cooling effects of all essential oils that are derived from lemon juice. You can always extend the usage of lemon juice in your daily life by enjoying a glass of lemon juice with ice cubes, water, and sugar or even adding strawberry to it and making it a diet drink if you are looking to lose weight. There are people who like enjoy lemonade pie that has all the health benefits of lemon juice and berries and frozen cream. The best part is that doctors suggest eating lemon even if you are suffering from fever as it has the ability to cool the body temperature thus proving helpful during extreme body temperature conditions.

When your body is suffering from high temperature, whether due to the ill effects of heat of the sun or due to any other form of illness, most physicians advise us to consume drinks regularly so it might prove helpful in preventing dehydration problems. There are a number of conditions in which sugar is generally not considered as being the best health food but when you are actually mixing sugar with lemon then it is believed to have some health benefits. This is considered as healthy even if you are consuming it in the form of lemon juice or pie as it is believed to give the same results under both circumstances. In case you feel that sugar might just not be the right option for you then you can also try replacing it with honey as it would be considered as more healthy compared to sugar.

Honey is an ingredient that is believed to have its own health benefits and even if you are diabetic you can still try consuming honey as its glycemic index is somewhat lower than that for most other sweeteners. Whenever consuming lemonade pie you can always get all the benefits of lemon as it is high in Vitamin C content, which is helpful in fighting scurvy in most individuals. As lemon is also rich in sodium, this fruit is also considered good for people who prefer a low salt diet as this source of sodium is a good alternative to salt. There are also a number of countries where producers coat lemon with a type of chemical (diphenyl) along with wax to maintain its shine and quality. So whenever making use of lemons for preparing your best lemonade pie recipe it is advisable to wash the fruit with distilled water before using it.

The best part is when making pie you can use the pulp of the lemon as it is good for your skin and helps in soothing insect bites. If this is mixed with a small amount of glycerin then this mixture can be used to clean hands. Lemon also has the power to neutralize the effects of certain types of bacteria. So in case you are fond of eating raw oysters, it is always advisable to add a little bit of lemon juice to kill all harmful bacteria.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup powdered sugar + 1 tbsp
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a shallow baking dish.

Mix together the sugar and margarine until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the flour, mixing well.

Press cookie dough firmly into baking pan and bake for 35 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth. Allow to sit for five minutes to thicken. Pour this glaze over the baked cookie dough.

Sprinkle the remaining one tablespoon of powdered sugar on top. Allow glaze to firm up in the refrigerator, then cut into squares or bars.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup margarine
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Cut in margarine until the mixture is the consistency of large grains of sand. I like to use my hands to rub the margarine into the flour. Stir in poppy seeds, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Combine the milk and water, and gradually stir into the dry ingredients until the batter is moistened, but still thick like biscuit dough. You may not need all of the liquid.

Spoon 1/4 cup sized plops of batter onto the greased baking sheet so they are about 3 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes the preheated oven, or until golden.

Ingredients:

• 1 -14 oz package firm silken tofu
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 -8 oz package Better than Cream Cheese
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 -9 inch pie crust
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F. Place silken tofu and vegan cream cheese in the food processor. Process for 1 minute, then add sugar. Continue blending until smooth and no sugar granules remain, 3-5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and almond extract. Whisk in cornstarch. Pour mixture into the food processor and mix until very smooth. Pour into prepared crust and bake for 45 minutes.

Allow to cool at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight. Serves 10.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Make a well in the center and fill it with the oil, lemon juice, and vanilla. Stir everything together until it forms a dough. Alternatively, just put everything into the food processor and blend until dough forms.

Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls, about 2 inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown. For a softer cookie, bake for only 7 minutes. Cool on racks, and store in an airtight container.