Lemon Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 small roasted garlic clove
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, optional

Process all ingredients until emulsified. Alternatively, mince the garlic clove and shake all ingredients in a jar until combined.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Serves 6 to 8.

From Love and Lemons blog, with minor changes

Fresh Black Grape Lemonade

4 cups seedless black grapes
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
7-8 cups cold water, divided
Zest of 3 lemons
Juice of 7 lemons (about 1 cup)
 
In a large saucepan, add grapes, 1 cup of the sugar, 1 cup of the water, and the lemon zest.  Simmer over medium heat, mashing grapes as they soften.  Once all the grapes have been mashed, let the mixture simmer gently for an additional 10-15 minutes so that the grape skins release more of their color.  Remove from heat and strain, discarding the solids.  Let cool.
 
Add grape mixture to a pitcher.  Stir in lemon juice, and remaining sugar and cold water.  Taste, and adjust the water and sugar to your liking.  Refrigerate until chilled.
 
From DivasCanCook.com

Preserved Lemons

Lemons
Coarse salt
Coriander seeds, bay leaf, dried chili, cinnamon stick (as desired)

Scrub the lemons with a vegetable brush and dry them.

Cut off the little rounded bit at the stem end if there's a hard little piece of the stem attached.  From the other end of the lemon, make a large cut by slicing lengthwise downward, stopping about 1 inch from the bottom, then making another downward slice, so you've incised the lemon with an X shape.

Pack coarse salt into the lemon where you made the incisions.  Don't be skimpy with the salt; use about 1 tablespoon per lemon.

Put the salt-filled lemons in a clean, large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Add a few coriander seeds, a bay leaf, a dried chili, and a cinnamon stick if you want (or any combination of these).

Press the lemons very firmly in the jar to get the juices flowing.  Cover and let stand overnight.

The next day, do the same, pressing the lemons down, encouraging them to release more juice as they start to soften.  Repeat for 2 to 3 days until the lemons are completely covered with liquid.  If your lemons aren't very juicy, add more freshly-squeezed lemon juice until they are submerged.

After one month, when the preserved lemons are soft, they are ready to use.  Store the lemons in the refrigerator, where they will keep for at least 6 months.  Rinse before using to remove excess salt.

To use: Remove the lemons from the liquid and rinse.  Split in half and scrape out the pulp.  Slice the lemon peels into thin strips or dice finely.  You may wish to press the pulp through a sieve to obtain the tasty juice, which can be used for flavoring as well.

From DavidLebovitz.com

Nonnettes (French Gingerbread Cakes)

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (80 grams) rye flour
1 tablespoon homemade pain d'epices spice blend
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Cointreau or orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh orange zest
1 large egg yolk
Blackcurrant jam (or orange marmalade, blueberry or blackberry jam)

Lemon glaze:
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Heat oven to 375 F.

In a small saucepan, stir together honey, brown sugar, water, butter, and oil.  Heat over medium heat, stirring, just until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat and let sit a couple of minutes while preparing the dry ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flours, pain d'epices spice blend, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir to combine.

Pour the honey mixture into the flour and stir to combine.  Add the Cointreau, vanilla extract, orange zest, and egg yolk, and stir until combined.

Butter the wells of a mini muffin pan or mini cheesecake pan.  Fill each well with batter 1/2 to 1/3 full.  Place a teaspoon of jam on each.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and the dough springs back when gently pressed.

While the nonnettes are baking, prepare the glaze by combining the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the glaze is smooth.

While the nonnettes are still warm and in the pan, spoon the glaze over them, letting it drip down the sides.  Let them cool in the pan; this will allow the glaze to penetrate the cakes.  Once cool, remove the nonnettes from the pan.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Makes 24+.

From The Daring Gourmet blog

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup milk

1 1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided

3 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons sugar, divided

Zest of 2 lemons

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup ricotta, at room temperature

Butter or oil for skillet

Fresh blueberries, confectioner’s sugar, and lemon curd, to serve

Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan placed over medium heat and allow butter to completely melt; remove from heat.  (Alternatively, microwave in 30-second increments until butter has melted, and set aside.)

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.  

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla.  Pour a little of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking continuously, to temper.  Slowly pour in the remainder of the milk, whisking until completely incorporated.  Add the flour mixture and whisk just to combine, but ensuring the batter is smooth; set aside.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl to whisk by hand).  Whisk until they start to become solid white and foamy, then add in the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Whisk on high until soft peaks form.

Add the whipped egg whites to the batter and gently fold in with a rubber spatula.  Add the ricotta and continue to fold in until mostly incorporated, but with some pieces of ricotta throughout.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat with butter or oil.  Pour about 1/4 cup of the batter onto the hot pan for each pancake.  Cook until golden brown and bubbles begin to form and pop on top; flip and cook for 2-3 minutes longer.

Serve with warm lemon curd, fresh blueberries, a dusting of powdered sugar.

Serves 4-6.

From Locanda Verde restaurant, via Juniper Fancy blog

Lemon Curd (makes 1 cup)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

Juice of 2 lemons (or generous 5 tablespoons)

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Using either a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until well-combined and light.  Add in egg and yolk and beat for 1 minute.  Mix in the lemon juice to combine; this will make the mixture look curdled but it will smooth out later.  Place mixture in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth.

Increase the heat to medium, stirring continuously as it cooks and thickens, until the mixture is bright yellow, thick enough that a swipe of your finger leaves a solid line on the back of the spoon, and thermometer reads about 170 degrees.

Remove from heat and stir in the zest.  Transfer to a bowl to use right away.  If keeping for a later use, transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, allow to cool slightly, then press a piece of plastic wrap right down onto the curd to prevent a layer of film from forming.  Put the lid on and refrigerate for up to a week.

Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup lemon juice (8-10 lemons)
Zest from 3 lemons
2 cups half-and-half
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved.  Add the buttermilk, lemon zest, half and half, and condensed milk, stirring with a whisk.  Chill in refrigerator or let sit in an ice bath for 10 minutes.  

Freeze in an ice cream maker. (Can also freeze in a chilled steel bowl or baking pan.  Stir vigorously with a whisk after 20 minutes, being sure to break up the edges.  Continue process every 30 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 times.  Pour mixture into a container with a lid, cover, and place back in the freezer until completely firm.)

From Lemons for Lulu blog

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter

1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

2 3/4 cups (326 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (170 grams) raspberry jam (or other fruit or berry jam)

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, lemon rind, vanilla, and salt until very light.  Beat in the egg.  Add the flour, stirring until well blended. 

Use a teaspoon cookie scoop (about 2 measuring teaspoons) or tablespoon cookie scoop (about 4 measuring teaspoons) of dough for each cookie.  Scoop cookies onto the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them.  Use your fingertip (for smaller cookies) or thumb (for larger cookies) to put an indentation into the center of each.

Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes.  Remove them from the oven.  Fill each indentation with jam, using about 1/4 teaspoon for each teaspoon-scoop cookie or 1/2 teaspoon for each tablespoon-scoop cookie.  Return to the oven for about 5 more minutes, until the cookies are slightly golden-brown.

Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes to firm up, then move them to a rack to finish cooling.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen to 5 dozen cookies, depending on size.

From King Arthur Flour website

Blueberry Sweet Rolls with Lemon Glaze

For rolls

1/2 cup hot water

3/4 cups warm milk

1/2 cup unsalted butter, very soft or melted

1 large organic egg, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons instant yeast

1/2 cup blueberry preserves

For glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon lemon flavoring

3+ tablespoons milk 

Place hot water, warm milk, softened butter, egg, and sugar, in the pan of your bread machine.  Add the salt and flour.  Make a well in the center of the flour.  Add yeast to center of flour. Place in bread machine and set to "dough" cycle.  Remove dough from machine once it has completely risen.  Depending on temperatures, it may take longer than the actual  cycle.  

Place dough on a flour covered work surface.  Roll dough into a 15" x 18" rectangle.  Spread blueberry preserves over the dough.  Start rolling dough from the left (long side) to the right. You will need to lift as you roll, or all of your filling will be pushed out.  Slice into 12 - 1 1/2" slices.  

Place in a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray or buttered.  Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about an hour. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place in oven and bake for 15 - 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked thru in the center.

Whisk the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Add additional milk to achieve desired consistency.  Drizzle glaze over rolls in the pan.

From CookingwithCurls blog

Meyer Lemon Ginger Curd

1 4- inch piece of ginger, peeled

3 large eggs

1/2 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Grate the ginger with a microplane zester and pass it through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl to catch the juice.  Press it with a rubber spatula (or your impeccably clean hands) to really squeeze the liquid out of the pulp.  Save the juice and discard the pulp.

In a small, heavy saucepan, whisk together the eggs and sugar until thoroughly combined.  Add the Meyer lemon juice and the ginger juice and stir again.  Heat gently over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles at a low simmer, about 6 minutes. 

Remove from heat and whisk in the butter.  Pass curd through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and allow it to cool.  Transfer to a jar or covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.  Keeps for a few weeks in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 cups.

Adapted from The Food Network by From Blossom to Stem blog

Middle Eastern Lemonade

5 whole lemons (preferably organic and unwaxed)
1 cup sugar
800 ml (about 3 1/3 cups) water
Mint leaves
Orange blossom water

Wash the lemons very well, then cut them into eighths and place them in a large mixing bowl.  Pour the sugar over the top and massage it into the lemons.  The idea is to rub the sugar into the skins, as the abrasive action releases the lemon oils, and at the same time squeeze out as much juice as possible from the flesh.  After about 5 minutes, the sugar should have dissolved into a thick, sticky syrup.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or so.

Add the water and mint leaves and return the bowl to the refrigerator to chill overnight.

Strain and add orange blossom water to taste.

From Arabesque by Greg and Lucy Malouf

Meyer Lemon and Blueberry Bundt Cake

For cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 teaspoon for blueberries and zest

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice (grate zest before juicing the lemons)

1 cup sour cream

2 cups blueberries

2 tablespoons grated Meyer lemon zest

For glaze:

1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice

2 cups confectioner’s sugar (or add more for thicker glaze)

Make cake:

Heat oven to 350° F.  Thoroughly grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

In a bowl, whisk 2 1/2 cups flour with baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated after each. Beat in vanilla and lemon juice. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of sour cream.

In a bowl, toss blueberries and zest with remaining teaspoon flour; gently fold into batter. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake cake on bottom rack of oven until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Invert onto a rack; cool completely, top side up.

Make glaze:

While cake is cooling, whisk lemon juice and confectioner sugar to create glaze. Mix until all the sugar has dissolved and there are no longer lumps. When the cake has completely cooled, drizzle glaze over the cake.

Makes one 12-inch Bundt cake.

From The Culinary Chronicles website, adapted from Martha Stewart

Lemon, Rosemary, and Almond Cake

3/4 cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Leaves stripped from 1-2 sprigs rosemary
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

For the syrup:
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup water
1 ounce sugar
1 sprig rosemary

Heat oven to 325° F.

Line 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with a strip on nonstick parchment paper to cover the base and narrow sides.

Place sugar, lemon zest, and rosemary leaves in a food processor and whizz until finely ground.

Beat together the flavored sugar and butter until creamy.  Beat in eggs and sour cream until mixture is well-combined.  Stir in flour, ground almonds, and baking powder.

Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared loaf pan and gently level the top.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, until risen and firm to a light tough and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Five minutes before the cake is done, make the sugar syrup by gently heating all the ingredients together.  Stir a little until the sugar has dissolved, then turn the heat up and boil for 5 minutes.  Leave the rosemary in the syrup to infuse.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick the top all over.  Remove the rosemary sprig from the syrup and pour the syrup over the cake.  Set aside to cool, then remove the cake from the pan and strip off the paper.

Serves 4.

Adapted from recipes in Veggie Chic by Rose Elliot and Crazy Water Pickled Lemons by Diana Henry

Lemon-Lime, Corn, and Jalapeno Relish

2 limes

1 lemon

1 cup fresh corn kernels (cut from 2 small ears)

4 jalapeño chilies, seeded, finely chopped (scant 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon (or more) coarse kosher salt

Use fine grater to remove zest from limes and lemon.  Place zest in medium bowl.  Squeeze enough juice from limes and lemon to measure 2 tablespoons lime juice and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.  Add to bowl with peel.  Add corn kernels, jalapeños, oil, and 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt; stir to blend.  Cover and chill at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend.  Season to taste with more coarse salt, if desired.  (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Bring relish to room temperature before serving.)

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

From Bon Appetit via Epicurious

Quick Lemon Bread

Bread:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt

1/2 teaspoon lemon oil OR 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

Glaze:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.

Mix the buttermilk or yogurt with the lemon juice and lemon oil, and set aside.

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

Beat together the butter and sugar until combined.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture.  

Pour into the pan, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make the glaze: While the bread is baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients to dissolve the sugar.

Remove the bread from the oven, and poke it all over with a cake tester, skewer, or other long, thin tool.  While the loaf is hot, drizzle it gradually with the glaze, stopping periodically to allow it to soak in.  Set it aside, and let it cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the bread from the pan, and allow it to cool completely before slicing.  The bread will keep for 5 days on the counter, covered.  Freeze for up to 3 months.

Makes one 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf.

From King Arthur Flour 

Lemon Squares

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt

Heat oven to 350°F.

Cut the butter into the flour and confectioners' sugar.  Press into a 9-inch square pan.  Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown.

Combine the topping ingredients.  When the bottom is done and still hot, pour the topping over it and continue baking for about 25 minutes.


From The King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook by Brinna Sands

Meyer Lemon and Dried Blueberry Scones

3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups dried wild blueberries (about 10 ounces)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon peel or regular lemon peel

Position rack in top third of oven and heat to 425°F. 

Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk self-rising flour and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl. Using fingertips, rub in chilled butter until pieces are size of small peas. Add dried wild blueberries and toss to coat. Mix 1 cup buttermilk and finely grated lemon peel in glass measuring cup. Pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients and stir until dough begins to form (some of flour will not be incorporated). Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and gather together. Knead dough briefly, about 5 turns. Divide dough in half. Form each dough half into ball and flatten into 1-inch-thick disk. Cut each disk into 6 wedges.

Transfer scones to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Brush tops with remaining 1 tablespoon buttermilk and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until scones are golden brown on top and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

Makes 12 scones.

From Bon Appetit/Epicurious

Apple Sangria (Non-Alcoholic)

2 quarts cider

1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 6 lemons), plus 1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 quart fresh orange juice (from 10 oranges), plus 1 orange, thinly sliced

1 bottle (24 1/2 ounces) sparkling white-grape juice, chilled

1 apple, thinly sliced

In a pitcher, combine the cider, lemon, and orange juices.  Cover and chill. Just before serving, add sparkling grape juice and sliced fruit.

Makes 1 gallon.

From MarthaStewart.com

Blueberry Mint Lemonade

Blueberry syrup
Mint syrup
Freshly-squeezed lemon juice from about 10-12 lemons
Water to taste, starting with 8 cups

Mix syrups, lemon juice, and water.  Continue adding water to taste.

Citrus Spice Syrup

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

Peel from 2 oranges

Peel from 1 lemon

6 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

Mix 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar in a medium saucepan.  Bring ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let steep for 1 hour.  Strain syrup into a small pitcher; discard solids in strainer.  Cover and refrigerate syrup until cold, about 3 hours.  (Can be made 1 week ahead.  Keep chilled.)

Lemon Thins

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into several pieces
2 1/2 cups (11.25 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat the lemon juice in a small nonreactive saucepan over high heat.  Boil for about 5 minutes, or until thick and syrupy and reduced to about 1 tablespoon.  Add the butter and stir until melted.  Set aside.

Combine the flour and baking soda in a medium bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or a fork.  

Using a spoon or a rubber spatula, mix the egg, egg yolk, and sugar in a large bowl until homogenous.  Mix in the butter mixture, lemon zest, and salt.  Add the flour mixture and stir just until incorporated.  Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces.  Roll each piece 1/16-inch thick between 2 sheets of wax paper.  Slide a cookie sheet under the wax paper sheets and dough.  Refrigerate until firm, at least 15 minutes and up to 2 days.

Heat the oven to 400° F.  Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease them.

Remove 1 piece of dough from the refrigerator. Peel off the top sheet of paper and set it in front of you.  Invert the dough onto it and peel off the second sheet.  Use a cookie cutter to cut out 2 1/2-inch cookies, or any desired size or shape.  Place cookies 1 inch apart on the lined or greased cookie sheets.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Scraps may be pressed together and re-rolled.

Bake 6 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned at the edges.  Rotate the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.  For lined pans, set the pans or just the liners on racks to cool; for unlined pans, use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to racks.  Cool the cookies completely before stacking or storing.  To retain crispness, put the cookies in an airtight container as soon as they are cool.  May be stored airtight for at least 1 week.


Makes 64 2 1/2-inch cookies.

From Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy by Alice Medrich