If you regularly use lemon zest, you might find yourself with bald lemons slowly going mouldy. But fret not, as there are countless ways to put them to good use.
Chefs Share Their Tips
Chris Shaw of Toklas in London notes that his restaurant also ends up with many peeled lemons, but that's no hardship because acid is almost always needed in cooking. Jad Youssef, author of Lebnani, adds that lemon juice is often the fix for flat flavours, and in Lebanon, cut lemons are always on the table for squeezing over meals.
Dressings and Marinades
For salads, whisk lemon juice with olive oil, salt, garlic, and pomegranate molasses. This dressing pairs well with tomatoes, radishes, cucumber, or grilled vegetables.
Freeze the Juice
Helen Graham, author of Centrepiece, advises squeezing lemons early and freezing the juice in ice-cube trays. These lemon cubes can brighten pastas, risottos, soups, stews, or drinks.
Confit Lemons
Cook bald lemons slowly with olive oil and salt to create a quick confit that turns soft, mellow, and slightly sweet. Spoon over meat, vegetables, or fish.
Baking with Bald Lemons
Shaw suggests adding a bald lemon to the tray when baking fish. After cooking, squeeze the juice over the fish. This also works with roast chicken, pork chops, lamb, or beef, especially when whisked with resting juices and olive oil for a light emulsion.
Lemon Syrup and Preserved Lemons
Graham recommends slicing lemons and layering them with equal parts caster sugar to make lemon syrup for soaking sponge cakes or drizzling over roast feta. Alternatively, layer slices with salt and cover with oil for a week to create delicate preserved lemons for salads and flavoured oil for dressings.
Simple Refreshments
Add spare lemon juice to water for dinner, or mix with water, sugar, and rose water for a quick lemonade. As Youssef says, a lemon without its zest can still do plenty of work.
