I love lemons. It could be from the days of chewing on a gin and tonic soaked wedge from summers past, but more likely because they have become one of the most versatile and reliable go-to products in my grocery cart every week. I keep lemons on hand for finishing multiple dishes, and lemon can add a “wow” factor to your menu without being overpowering. Forget about dominant “lemon-flavoured” dishes or desserts. Lemons add flavour without fat or sodium, giving a side dish a fresh kick or adding an acidic crispness to a main dish, such as in your marinade.
When using lemons in meat dishes, people generally think fish, and a wedge on the plate. While this might be suitable for Red Lobster or fish and chips, it is an injustice to the fruit. Lemon adds great taste to lean meats like pork, veal chops, and chicken, not just fish. And, we’re talking zest and juice together in many cases.
For fish dishes, lemon should not be used to pre-season your meat unless you’re making ceviche (raw fish “cooked” in citrus juice). Shellfish would be one exception as the meat is tougher to begin with so for the amount of marinade time you don’t risk “pre-cooking” your shellfish. Adding the lemon juice during cooking (near the end) will kick your fish up more without pre-cooking the meat.
For meat dishes, lemon adds a key acidity that can help tenderize and break down the cut. It can also function as a useful de-glazer for skillet cooking for any meat.
In side dishes, you’ll find numerous opportunities to kick up green beans, grains and potatoes to balance and complement a more flavourful main course. I usually pair my fingerling potatoes (below) with chicken parmigiana. I use lemon the most in my side dishes, particularly for a quick and easy recipe on the fly for a tasty and healthy weeknight dinner.
Here are some great quick and easy lemon GO-TOs for a variety of mains and sides …
YOUR LEMON GO-TOs
Side or meal salad: Ditch the complicated, high fat dressings and whisk half a lemon with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of fine sea salt. The Italians and the Greeks swear by this simple dressing, which is great with arugula.
Steakhouse salad: Enjoy the bold flavours of blue cheese, beefsteak tomatoes, and red onion, with a simple vinaigrette of half a lemon, and equal parts grapeseed oil, and rice vinegar. Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of dried oregano and whisk vigorously.
Veal or pork chops: try a marinade of equal parts lemon juice and olive oil, spruced up with fresh thyme and topped off with the zest. Sear your meat and finish it in the oven at 350°F to medium doneness (about 10 minutes per inch).
Pickerel or sole: a flaky white fish loves lemon! Salt and pepper your fish and pan-sear it for two minutes per side. Deglaze with a generous splash of white wine and the juice of half a lemon, with a couple of spoons of capers. Throw in a pat of butter, and finish in the oven (10-15 minutes at 375°, depending on thickness) and you’ve got a great sauce to spoon over your fish.
Fingerling potatoes: boil potatoes for 13-15 minutes until just tender. Drain, and sauté in olive oil on medium high for two minutes. Add coarse sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and the juice of half a lemon. Let juice boil away and sauté until you’ve slightly browned your potatoes. Your guests will rave about these taters!
Quinoa: fry a tablespoon of cumin in olive oil just until it smokes. Add a cup of quinoa, sauté until it crackles. Add two cups of stock or water, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the juice and the zest of an entire lemon and let stand for 5 more minutes.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
TOOLS OF THE TRADE (clockwise from top): Countertop juicer, Lemon storage container, Lemon zester, Cheesecloth, Handheld juicer
Zester: while a bartender’s staple, this is a must-have for grating your peel
Juicer: I recommend two, a handheld one for quickly squeezing a half over a dish, and a stand-alone juicer or reamer for dressings or where more juice is required
Lemon storage: I just love this product, because it is cool and airtight and at $5 from most kitchen retailers looks better and is more eco-friendly than plastic wrap
Cheesecloth: if you are using lemons at the table (for a seafood barbeque or an oyster appetizer) class it up and avoid random eye injuries by tying up a half lemon in a single piece of cheesecloth
LEMON-AID TIPS
When buying lemons, a heavier lemon is almost always juicier. If the skin is thinning, it is at its ripest (or at the end of its shelf life).
Store lemons at room temperature (uncut) or up to a week (cut) in the fridge. When your lemons are going off, the skin will darken and thin out. You won’t want to zest the thin-skinned ones.
A room temperature lemon will yield more juice and better zest than a cold one. If you’re in a pinch, run a cold lemon under warm water before zesting or juicing.
Don’t use lemons in everything on your plate! If you’re kicking up your potatoes, let the veggies stand on their own merits.
