Food
The Meyer Lemon
By Joshna Maharaj
Ah, the noble lemon. I love the bright, punchy pucker of fresh lemon. Its flavour is unmistakable, like a grand proclamation in your mouth. From the comforting smoothness of a lemon curd to the restorative suck of juice after a shot of tequila, the lemon is a classic flavour that is incredibly versatile and widely appreciated. One of the most important changes in my cooking habits after having gone to chef school and becoming serious about how I cook has been a dramatic increase in my use of both lemons and limes. They are beloved by culinary professionals and home chefs, probably because nothing else freshens up food in quite the same way. The bright sourness of the juice and the fragrant crispness of zest help to round out the flavours at both the beginning and the end of the cooking process.
Lemon is such a key player in western food preparation, it may be hard to believe that it is actually an import, with roots in South Asia dating back to about 500 BCE. In fact, all citrus fruits are actually native to South Asia, the four original wild species being citrus medica (citron), citrus grandis (pomello), citrus reticulate (mandarin), and citrus aurantifolia (lime). All other citrus fruits, including the navel orange, the lemon and the grapefruit are in fact hybrids of these four original species.
Recently, there has been another citrus hybrid getting a lot of press, from food writers and professional chefs alike. Say hello to the meyer lemon. Many of my friends ask me what a meyer lemon is, where they can find it, and what the heck is so special about it. Here goes: Originally from China, the meyer lemon was brought to the US by Frank Meyer, an employee of the US department of agriculture on a visit to China in 1908. The meyer lemon is thought to be a hybrid between a lemon and a mandarin orange, with a sweeter, tangier juice, and a much softer rind. They grow well in citrus-friendly environments like Texas and Florida, and have managed to find their way to the shelves of our grocery stores here in Toronto, at almost three times the price of regular lemons.
I have, on occasion, succumbed to the curiosity and purchased a bagful to have my way with in the kitchen. Highlights from this effort have been a lovely meyer lemon meringue pie, buttery meyer lemon cookies and a fantastic meyer lemon vinaigrette. It’s pretty safe to say that you could use meyer lemons as a substitute for most recipes requiring lemons. Keep in mind that the meyer lemons are less sour, and may not be appropriate for some savoury recipes, as well as some desserts like lemon curd. I would recommend using a combination of regular and meyer lemon juices in a curd to achieve the distinctive flavour, yet have enough sourness to shape the curd.
For those of you anxious to get busy with meyer lemons, here is my recipe for a meyer lemon vinaigrette. This can be used on salads, grilled vegetables, and as a marinade. Luckily for us, there will be meyer lemons in our stores throughout the fall and winter, so go ahead and get juiced. My next move? Spiked meyer lemonade.
Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette (Makes 3/4 cups)
Using both the zest and the juice in this vinaigrette lets you get the most out of your meyer lemons…just remember, zest before you juice!
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh meyer lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon meyer lemon zest
1 tsp honey
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1. Combine all ingredients but the olive oil in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
2. While whisking, slowly add a thin stream of olive oil and continue whisking to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
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