Preserved Meyer Lemons
Toss these preserved beauties with roasted fingerling potatoes, or whisk the pulp into a salad dressing or a Bloody Mary.
Ingredients:
6 Meyer lemons
â…“ cup kosher salt
â…” cup fresh lemon juice
Method:
1. Scrub lemons and dry well. Quarter lemons lengthwise.
2. Toss the lemon wedges with the salt in a bowl and transfer to a sterile 4-cup glass jar. Use a wooden spoon to press the lemons to fit. Add lemon juice and any remaining salt that might be left in the bowl. Seal jar tightly and shake to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 3 days, shaking jar each day. Transfer to the refrigerator for 3 weeks or until rinds are soft. Rinse before using.
Preserved Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
This bright vinaigrette is extremely versatile; try it on greens, vegetables or fish!
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon diced preserved lemon
1 teaspoon freshly-chopped chives
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup Champagne vinegar
â…” cup olive oil
Fresh ground pepper, to taste.
Method:
1. Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Check for seasoning and add additional ground pepper, as needed.
Roasted Broccolini with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Accented with our lemon vinaigrette, this bright dish is wonderful topped with a grating of our Vecchio cheese.
Ingredients:
1 pound broccolini
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Farm & Larder preserved lemon vinaigrette
Grated Vecchio cheese (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat an oven to 350°F. Wash and trim broccolini.
2. In a fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Add the broccolini, salt and a few grindings of pepper. Cook, stirring often, just until the color of the broccolini deepens, about 1 minute more.
3. Scrape the contents of the pan into a baking dish, add the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil and turn to coat. Transfer to the oven and roast until the broccolini is tender-crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with preserved lemon vinaigrette and top with cheese if desired.
Meyer Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette
This lovely vinaigrette is bright with lemon juice, sweet honey and fresh parsley.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons freshly-squeezed Meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, pressed
¾ cup olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Whisk together lemon juice, zest, honey, parsley, mustard and garlic in a small bowl.
2. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Use immediately, or chill for a later use. If chilled, allow vinaigrette to come to room temperature again, then whisk again to combine.
Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Fantastic drizzled over salad greens or this week’s rainbow Swiss chard.
Ingredients:
Lemon rind of one preserved lemon
2 cloves garlic, grated
â…“ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 cup high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Remove one preserved lemon from the jar and rinse it under the cold water tap. Pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Place the lemon on a cutting board and cut it into quarters. With a teaspoon scrape the flesh from each section of the lemon. (Return the scraped flesh to the jar of lemons for future use.) Cut the lemon rind into smaller pieces and place in the blender/processor.
3. Add the grated garlic, lemon juice, honey and the white balsamic vinegar. Process for 1 minute. Drizzle the oil into the processor and blend the mixture for another 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
4. Taste and season with a pinch of pepper. Transfer the vinaigrette to a glass jar or bottle with a lid and refrigerate until needed
Grilled Asparagus & Potatoes with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Tossed with fresh parsley and lemon vinaigrette, this spring side boasts a lovely smokiness from the grill.
Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus stalks, trimmed of tough ends
1 pound fingerling potatoes, washed, scrubbed and cut in half
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup preserved lemon vinaigrette (see recipe)
¼ cup freshly-chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill, brush grate lightly with olive oil. On a large sheet pan, spread out asparagus and potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Over medium heat, grill asparagus and potato halves (cut side down) until tender and just slightly charred, about 8-10 minutes, turning and flipping as needed.
3. Remove from the grill and transfer to a serving platter. Toss with the preserved lemon vinaigrette and fresh parsley, seasoning with more salt and pepper, as needed.
Smoked Salmon Salad with Spring Greens & Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Tossed with a Meyer lemon vinaigrette, this salad exudes the light, refreshing flavors of the season.
Ingredients:
1 smoked salmon fillet, chopped into bite-size pieces
4 cups mixed greens, such as Mesclun and spinach greens
Preserved lemon vinaigrette (see recipe)
2 tablespoons freshly-chopped parsley
Olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Chopped tender herbs, such as chives, lovage and French tarragon
Method:
1. On a large serving platter, arrange the salad greens, then top with the smoked salmon and parsley.
2. Toss with desired amount of dressing, then taste for seasoning and add sea salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with freshly-chopped tender herbs of your choosing.
Meyer Lemon Relish
This fresh-and-tart spread from Food & Wine is wonderful served alongside chicken, halibut or a freshly-toasted baguette.
Ingredients:
1 large Meyer lemon, peeled and peel very thinly-sliced
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chives, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
½ cup olive oil
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Finely chop the lemon pulp, discarding any seeds, and transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the lemon peel, minced shallots, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, chives, parsley, olive oil and crushed red pepper to the bowl. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper and serve. (Can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
Nonna Pat’s Oven-Roasted Meyer Lemon Chicken
Roasted with Meyer lemons, fragrant garlic and a splash of white wine, our Nonna Pat’s signature chicken is a favorite here at the farm.
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken cut into pieces, or 4-6 breasts
1 Meyer lemon, sliced
Juice of 2 Meyer Lemons
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon honey
Handful of fresh oregano,
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs of rosemary
½ cup dry white wine
â…“ cup olive oil
Capers and additional oregano, for garnish
Method:
1. With the exception of the chicken and sliced Meyer lemon, mix together the ingredient list in a large gallon-size Ziploc bag. Add the chicken and marinate for at least 6 hours, or up to overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Arrange the chicken pieces in a lightly oiled ovenproof dish. Place a lemon slice on top of each piece of chicken and add remaining marinade to the baking pan.
3. Bake in the oven until browned and chicken is cooked through (usually about an hour depending upon the size of the pieces of chicken). Remove from the oven, garnish with capers and additional oregano leaves as desired, and serve.