Well… I’m getting lemonaded out! Also up to my chin in lemon sorbet.
Both are yummy, but I’ve still got a pile (like a paper grocery sack full!) of Meyers lemons left. And that’s assuming my friend with a prolific tree doesn’t bring more. It’s just as bad as zucchini! It’s either pick 'em and do something with 'em, or they get bitten into by squirrels and fall off and rot.
What else can I do with a pile of lemons before they go bad? So far, about all I can think of that’s useful is to juice them all and freeze the juice in the ice trays so I have a pile of lemon juice cubes. Where’s a puckered lips smiley when you need one?
Actually, taking a jar, alternating layers of the lemons and pineapple and letting some good vodka marinate in that might be pretty damn tasty as well.
My mom has a recipe for Meyer lemon marmalade. I called her and she’s going to root it out. I’ll try to post it in an hour, or maybe a little more. It’s the best, bar none, lemon marmalade I ever tasted, and specifically for Meyer lemons.
1/2 stick softened butter
Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Blend ingredients together, and use for cooking chicken or fish. It hold well for a few weeks, so you can make a larger batch.
And here’s a recipe for if you decide to make preserved lemons: http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=102732
About six medium sized Meyer lemons
6 cups water
About 6 1/2 cups sugar
Thinly slice lemons, discarding ends and seeds to make 3 cups lemon slices. If the lemons are small, you may need 8 to 10 to make this amount. Place in a bowl, pour on water, cover, and let stand in a cool place overnight. then bring lemon mixture to a boil: boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand overnight again.
Measure the lemon-water mixutre: add an equal amount of sugar. Bring mixture to a rapid boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Lower heat, but continue cooking rapidly for about 45 minutes, or until marmalade sheets from a spoon when tested. Pour hot marmalade into hot sterilized canning jars. Adjust lids to seal, Makes about 6 half pints.
Make your favorite sugar cookie recipe. Roll it out sort of thick and cut into good-sized circles. (About as big as a Krispy Kreme). Cut the middle out of half of them, so they do look like donuts.
While those bake, make some lemon curd with the Meyers. Then, put the baked rings on top of normal cookies, fill the certain with lemon curd, and sprinkle blueberries on top.
It’s wonderful.
I use the Joy of Cooking lemon curd recipe, but I end up looking for sugar cookie recipes online everytime since I lose them.
failure, that sounds great! I work as a baker professionally, and we have this semi-annual tea at the library where the cafe I work at is located. That sounds like just the sort of “pretty” little items the library would like for the tea. It’s basically a stroking session, for major donors or potential donors, so they like to have the best.