These are BIG lemons from our friends and CSA members at Valley Oak Meadow. Here are some recommendations for use from them.
•a full lemon’s zest plus juice for salad dressings, pancake batter and baking (shortbreads! lemon cake!)
•a full lemon’s zest and juice is particularly great in guacamole
•a squeeze of lemon and mix well, is a great preservative in a bowl of undressed salad greens for a longer lasting bowl of salad in fridge.
•preserved lemons (look up how-to simple videos on YouTube for these easy amazing culinary helpers- Yotam Ottolenghi’s video is particularly great)
2 Simple Recipes:
Simple Excellent Guacamole Recipe:
Use mortar and pestle for best perfect results, but any number of bowls, forks, utensils, presses and stick blenders can be used.
2 avocados
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs lemon juice
Zest of one lemon (finely grated yellow parts only)
1) Liquify garlic, Lemon juice, salt w pestle
2) Add in one avocado at a time mashing everything together
3) Add lemon zest and mix in evenly
Classic French Salad Dressing:
General Proportion: 1/4 lemon juice to 3/4 olive oil or other oils; plus seasonings and herbs
•1/4 C lemon juice plus zest of at least one lemon
•3/4 C olive oil
•1 Shallot minced
•1 Tbs plain mustard
•Herbs of choice minced: mint/dill/parsely/cilantro
•Good amount of salt and pepper (I love the taste of celtic salt)
Shake well.
Optional: can stick blend to get an emulsified mayo-like consistency, if preferred
Covered in a jar, this lasts a week or two or longer in fridge, for ease in daily salad eating.