Canary yellow in colour, sour but refreshing, lemons are a much loved and a versatile ingredient. In small quantities or a cupful, lemon juice adds a zesty punch to sweet and savoury recipes, while the peel imparts an intense citrus flavour. Plus, lemons are loaded with vitamin C. Outside the culinary world, it is a part of beauty regimes and is also used as a non-toxic cleaning product. But the only drawback to this humble fruit are those annoying little seeds. Enter: LemonGold - it's everything you want in a lemon except sweeter than other lemons and without the seeds. Here are some ways you can use them.
Create some fizz
On a hot day, what better way to cool off than with a freshly made citrus fizz drink. As a reward for all the hard work you've been doing, treat yourself to a glass by the pool.
Directions: Place 200g sugar, 200ml water, thyme and citrus zest (lemon, lime and grapefruit) in a medium saucepan and stir gently over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Strain the syrup through a sieve to remove the thyme and zest then stir in the juice of 1 lemon, 1 lime and 1 grapefruit. Divide the syrup between 4 glasses, add 2 ice blocks and top up with soda water. Serve immediately.
Stay hydrated with lemon-infused water
You could prepare infused water that’s full of vitamins, antioxidants, and flavour. The best part: there's no sugar.
Directions: Fill a jug with drinking water. Add lemon slices with other good-for-you ingredients. Allow it to infuse for an hour. Serve cold. These are the tried and tested ones:
- Lemon + mint: The combination of these two ingredients improves digestion and also balances pH levels in the body.
- Lemon + orange: Both these citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C and are known to keep the skin radiant and healthy.
- Lemon + cucumber: This duo works as a detox while keeping the body hydrated.
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Turn it into a dressing
Add oomph to the most basic salads with a simple but good lemon vinaigrette that can be made with lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt and black pepper. This can be drizzled on a leafy green salad, on sautéed asparagus, and even on avocado.
Freeze it to make flavoured ice cubes
The next time you’re hosting a gathering at home, swap ice cubes for lemon ice cubes to instantly elevate any drink. Directions: Chop lemons. Put a piece or two in each compartment of the ice tray. Fill it with water and freeze.
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Try it as a filling
Fancy but fairly simple to make, lemon curd is a creamy conserve prepared in a double boiler with ingredients like lemon juice and zest, egg yolks, sugar, and salted butter. The sweet and tart flavour of this citrus spread makes it a delicious addition to pies, parfaits, or pancakes.
Use it as a garnish
With the help of a pairing knife, you can use lemons to dress up beverages. Slices, wedges and twists are the most common forms of garnish on a glass. But when served with food, lemons are more than just an embellishment. Not only do they bring out the flavours of certain foods, like most fish or shellfish, but they also help to mask the briny smell and aid digestion.
Prepare a dessert
In 30 minutes you can have a fantastic dessert on your table in which lemon is the star. Follow this recipe to make Spanish lemon olive oil mini bundt cakes that are a light, moist, and fluffy. You don’t need to say gracias for this treat.
MEET THE PRODUCER
Core Fruit
The LemonGold® seedless lemon brand available at Spinneys comes from South Africa, where it is registered to be packed under the LemonGold® brand by ANB Investments and its Indigo Fruit Farming operation. The lemon trees are grown under nets to protect them from hail and wind damage. The fruit is produced over large areas of South Africa, lengthening its availability period, and is consistently seedless, with great juice content.
