It’s been nearly two months since I promised this recipe would be posted here. I can not believe how quickly the summer goes by!  The last week of May we finished the third and final step for homemade limoncello liqueur. Then I gave you a wonderful recipe for lemon-limoncello meringue pie and said another limoncello dessert recipe was forthcoming. It has arrived in the form of these amazingly creamy, yet not too sweet, cheesecake squares. This recipe comes courtesy of the talented and lovely Giada De Laurentiis. Not only am I surprised how long it has taken me to finally make these but I am shocked to realize that this is the first cheesecake recipe posted here. And since it’s not made in a springform pan, it’s not even an actual cheesecake.  Shocking, because I love cheesecake, which is by far one of my favorite desserts. Not only that but I can honestly say that I am a master at making them; The Cheesecake Factory has nothing on me!  I’m not bragging, just stating the facts and I’m going to share with you three of the most important tricks of the trade to making creamy and crack-free cheesecakes of your own.

#1.  Always place your cheesecake in a water bath. The water bath slows down the baking so that the filling cooks evenly, creating the creamiest cheesecake imaginable. This is easy to do with a recipe such as this, where the bars are made in a baking pan. Not so easy with a traditional cheesecake made in a springform pan. Since springform pans are comprised of two pieces that come apart, it is imperative to wrap the springform pan well with two or three layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil before placing it in the water bath. If you fail to do this most vital step, you will have waterlogged and completely ruined cheesecake.  By the way, any cheesecake recipe can be modified to be made in a baking pan (such as these squares) instead of in a springform.  So if you don’t own a springform or just don’t want to hassle with one – use a glass or metal baking pan in its place.

#2.  Mix all your ingredients well before adding the eggs. Then always (whether the recipe says so or not) add your eggs, one at a time, and never over-mix or beat on high speed.  Doing either of those things will incorporate too much air into the batter and will cause your cheesecake to crack in the center.

#3. The importance of “room temperature” ingredients; cold eggs do not blend properly but room temperature eggs are malleable and will mix in better and act as a binder for other ingredients. Cold dairy products will coagulate and clump in the batter and cause the need to over-mix. All in all, room temperature ingredients create a lump free and velvety smooth batter. So unless you are making pastry or if the recipe states otherwise; this rule is true for all baking, not just cheesecake.

There you go, now you too, can be a cheesecake master. One last little tip; since you’re using limoncello as the liquid, you don’t use the juice from the lemons you zest. Be sure and juice those lemons ASAP, otherwise they will dry out since they are missing their “skin”.  And if you don’t think you’ll use the juice in the next day or so, place it in muffin tins and freeze – then pop out and place in marked zip-locks bags.

FYI – I found the large container of individually wrapped almond biscotti cookies at Smart and Final. There is enough in that container to make 3 times the recipe, a nice thing to keep in mind when the holidays roll around again… and we all know how soon that will be!

Limoncello Cheesecake Squares

Pam nonstick cooking spray
8 ounces purchased biscotti
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest, divided
12-ounces whole milk ricotta, drained, at room temperature
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1  1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup limoncello liqueur, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of a 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with Pam.

Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a cooling rack.

In a clean food processor bowl; blend the ricotta, cream cheese, and sugar until smooth, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping down the sides of the work bowl. Blend in the limoncello, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon zest.

Add the eggs one at a time, and pulse just until blended, do not over-mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between the second and third egg.

Pour the batter over the cooled crust. Place the baking pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the filling moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. The cake will become firm when it is cold.

Transfer pan to a rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut into squares and serve.

Makes 12 to 16 squares

Way back in March when I started the limoncello process, I knew I wanted to make this pie. It will be the ending to our Memorial Day dinner. Apple pie may be America’s pie, but this can’t be beat in the summer. It’s pretty, cool, delicious and refreshing… all-American for sure!

I learned an awesome technique for “applying” the meringue to the top of the pie from one of my favorite and most inspirational blogs, Zoe Bakes. Click here to see Zoe’s original step by step instruction with amazing photos. It actually make my mouth drop open when I first saw this gorgeous cake back in January.

I’ve found another amazing recipe using the sweet Italian liqueur – a cheesecake square recipe from the ever beautiful and talented Giada De Laurentiis.  Feel free to go to www.foodnetwork.com and make it yourself, or wait until I post the recipe here, which will  be soon, because I am already craving another limoncello masterpiece.

Lemon-Limoncello Meringue Pie

Pine Nut Crust
2/3 cup toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup flour
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons limoncello
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
4 eggs
4 egg yolks (reserve the whites for meringue)
1 cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup limoncello
Pinch of salt

Brown Sugar Meringue
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
4 egg whites (reserved from filling)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Crust: Place the pine nuts in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the sugar and flour and continue to pulse until the nuts are finely ground.

In the bowl of a standing mixer combine the butter, limoncello, and vanilla until the mixture is creamy. Mix the dry ingredients in slowly until just combined. Do not over mix.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

This “cookie dough-like” crust is impossible to roll out and transfer to a pie pan, so use your fingertips to press the crust mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.  Bring the dough up above the side of the pan just a little and crimp the edges.  Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove and place the pie pan on a baking sheet.  Put the baking sheet on a rack in the middle of the preheated oven.  Cook the crust for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it is a very light brown all over. Remove from oven but leave on pie pan on baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Filling: Whisk the 4 eggs, 4 egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until smooth. Stir in zest, juice, cream, limoncello and salt until well combined and smooth.  Pour filling into pre-baked pie crust.

Carefully transfer pie (still on the baking sheet) to the oven and bake just until filling is set in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Allow pie to cool then cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Meringue: Stir both sugars and water together in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sugars melt, swirling pan often, but do not stir.

Increase heat to medium high and boil, swirling frequently until it reaches 250 degrees on a candy thermometer, remove from heat and set aside.

While sugar syrup is boiling, beat the 4 egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed in a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to soft peaks. Slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup into the egg white mixture with the mixer on low speed.

Once syrup is blended turn mixer to high speed and beat until meringue is stiff and glossy.

Dollop a large spoonful of meringue on pie and use a pallet knife to spread the meringue right up to the edges of the crust to seal. Next, you have several options to create decorate peaks and curls in the meringue.  You can use a spatula, a dull knife, or the back of a spoon to create the peaks. Or use the “hands-on” method I recently learned.

Just dollop on a large amount of meringue and use your hand grab a glob of the meringue and  press it against the surface..

and then pull it away from the pie. It will break off in a peak or curl. Continue to do this, adding more meringue as needed, until you get the effect you want. Be sure and go to this LINK to see more (and much better) pictures of the process.

If you have a kitchen blowtorch, it is easiest and really the most fun to use it to toast the meringue. To do so, hold the blowtorch a ways from the pie and touch the flame down between the curls. They will be set aflame, don’t worry – this is what you want – just blow them out as you go.

If you don’t have a torch, instead preheat your oven to 400 degrees and bake the pie until the meringue is golden brown, about 12 minutes.

If using oven, transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.  No need to cool if using the torch.

Serves 8 to 10

The long wait is finally over!  It’s been 80 days! Today is THE day that we can finally finish making our limoncello and reap the rewards of our patience! Once again, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you have missed a post or two.  The first appeared on March 8th when we began the process of making homemade limoncello. The second occurred on April 17th when we completed the second step, so if you haven’t been following along, sorry! But really it’s not too late, you can just go back to those two posts and begin anew, and you too will have your own limoncello…ready to use…. on about…. August 14th!

Limoncello – step 3!

After 40 days, strain and pour into decorative bottle to give as gift…. or hoard, as I plan to do!  Store 1 bottle at a time in freezer until ready to use. Serve directly from the freezer in chilled glasses. Store “backup” bottles in the refrigerator if there is more room there than in the freezer.

Makes about 2 bottles (750 ml each) or about 6 to 8 small “gift” bottles as pictured

Also as promised, a recipe for a fabulous pie using a little bit of your golden nectar will appear here in the next day or so.  We just returned from a glorious week in the U.S. Virgin Islands…. so give me a day or two or three to get my bearings back to reality and to this Arizona summer heat!

Proud! That is what I am today! My precious baby girl graduates from the University of Arizona today with a Journalism major and Creative Writing minor. She has been a hard-working dedicated student ever since kindergarten 17 years ago. Heck, since her “mini-threes” days in preschool! So yeah, I am a proud braggart mom, and I will not apologize for that, at least not today!

After the ceremonies, Dave and I are taking Marissa, Alberto (boyfriend), Grandpa Gene (my dad), and Connor (treasured baby brother) out to dinner to J Bar. You may recall that I posted about the amazing nachos we had there earlier this month(May 2). Well Marissa has been craving them ever since reading that post, and whatever she wants, she gets today!

After dinner, we’ll be heading back to her house where she and her four beautiful roomies (see picture below for the proof of said beauty!) are hosting a dessert party for all their families. The girls requested I make a trifle they tasted back in October that was posted here.  I changed it up a bit for the occasion. The lemon curd is now a lemon-cherry curd and there is a fabulous addition – cream cheese filling. Expect more mama boasting and pictures tomorrow!

Marissa, Kaley, Kelsey, Paige, and Petra

Marissa’s Graduation Trifle

Lemon-Cherry Curd
1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) pitted cherries
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Filling
8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
Lemon Syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup limoncello
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Purchased pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups blueberries
2 cups hulled and quartered strawberries
1 lemon, thinly sliced, slices then halved
Fresh mint, for garnish

Curd: Place cherries in the bowl of a food processor and blend into a smooth puree. Place puree in a strainer over a bowl and press on the solids until all the juices are released. You should have about 1/4 cup cherry juice. Discard the solids remaining in the strainer. Whisk the cherry juice, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large metal bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Stir constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula until thickened, about 12 minutes. Add butter pieces a few at a time, stirring until each addition is melted.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes, then place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the top of the curd and refrigerate until completely chilled.

Filling: Combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a bowl with a whisk until smooth. In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream until smooth.

Syrup: Combine the water, limoncello, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cool.

Assemble Trifle: Note: While layering, be sure you are able to see each layer along the sides of the bowl, all the way around. Place 1/3 of the pound cake cubes in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Drizzle with about 3 tablespoon of the syrup. Spoon 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture atop the cake and smooth to edges of bowl. Place 1/2 of the blueberries and strawberries on top. Spoon 1/2 of the lemon-cherry curd  atop the berries and smooth to the edges of bowl.  Repeat with 1/3 of the cake, syrup, and whipped cream. Repeat with remaining 1/3 of the cake, syrup, and whipped cream. Top with remaining berries and curd. Garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  May be made 24 hours in advance.

Serves 12 – 16

When I went out the garden to pick the mint needed for this recipe, I found this very welcome and sweet little guest, funny how simple joys can just make your day! My goal for the past month or two has been to cook with lemons everyday.  I know you’re probably sick of hearing about how many lemons I have, but believe me, I’m more tired of trying to use/get rid of them!  I took about 50 pounds to cooking class last night and plan to do the same tomorrow night when I begin my 3-week series at Les Gourmettes. Just the thought of all of them is wearing me out… the solution? Tonight, I’m going to fire up the Jacuzzi and make cocktails using up several lemons, that will get me geared up to keep going! This is a great cocktail if you have a little leftover champagne or as in my case, you have a split lying around unused. I’m using Absolute Citron, but any unflavored or citrus flavored vodka is fine. If you’re not lemon-rich, buy lemon sorbet at the grocery store and you’re all set.

Lemon-Mandarin Orange Champagne Cocktail

Lemon Sorbet
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup fresh lemon juice
Cocktail
11-ounce can Mandarin oranges in light syrup
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup Champagne
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Sorbet: Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan to dissolve the sugar, remove simple syrup from the heat, and cool. Combine the simple syrup with the lemon zest and juice.

Pour sorbet mixture into the bowl of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Makes about 2 cups or 1 pint.

Cocktail: Place the Mandarin oranges with their syrup, vodka, champagne, and lemon sorbet in a blender and puree. Divide among champagne glasses, garnish with mint and enjoy.

Serves 6

I picked my first artichokes of the season today! Plus another 40 or 50 pounds of lemons! Really, someday, I will have picked that lemon tree clean… but not for awhile. Only two artichokes were ready, so this recipe is for two, it can easily be doubled or tripled, no matter how many more artichokes you add.  But only go up to 1 1/2 cups of water to cook them in and no more than about 5 tablespoons olive oil.  When increasing recipes, know that not all ingredients increase in equal increments.  For instance, even is you double or triple the onion/garlic/thyme/fennel portions, you still will only need about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to sauté them in… make sense?

Lemon Braised Artichokes

1 lemon, halved
2 medium artichokes
2 green onions, white part sliced into thin rings
1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3 times
1 cup cold water
3 strips lemon peel
Grated lemon zest, set aside for garnish
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
1 tomato, diced

Add lemon halves to a large bowl of cold water, squeezing to release juice. Cut off top inch of 1 artichoke and bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base (keep stem attached). Discard several more layers in same manner until you reach the paler leaves.

Cut remaining leaves flush with top of artichoke bottom using a sharp knife. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides of artichoke. Peel sides of stem down to pale inner core. Put in lemon water while preparing remaining artichokes.

Sauté green onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon of the fresh thyme leaves, and fennel in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pot (pot should be wide enough to hold artichokes in 1 layer with stems pointing upward) over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add water, zest, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Stand artichokes in pot and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a couple grinds of black pepper. Cover artichokes with parchment or wax paper, then a lid, and simmer over medium-low heat until bottoms are just tender when pierced with a knife, 20 to 30 minutes.

Transfer artichokes to a dish and reserve cooking liquid. When artichokes are cool enough to handle, halve lengthwise. Scoop out and discard inner choke (fuzzy center) and any sharp leaves.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high, brown cut sides of artichokes for about 2 minutes, turn over and brown for 1 minute on other side.

Add 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid to skillet along with the remaining tablespoon lemon juice and remaining tablespoon olive oil; boil 3 minutes, stir in remaining teaspoon thyme and pour over artichokes and sprinkle with diced tomatoes and grated lemon zest. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 2

Hey, it is time to take your jar with the first stage of limoncello out of the dark cool place you have been hiding it. You don’t know what in the world I’m talking about?  Then you must have missed the March 8th post that gave you the first step to make your own limconcello. Of course, you can still do it, just go back to the beginning, do step one and mark your calendar accordingly. But if you were following along, you are ready to proceed.

Limoncello (step two of three)

1  1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2  1/2 cups water
Remaining 1/2 bottle 100 proof vodka (1  1/2 cups)

After 40 days, bring sugar and water to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Let the sugar syrup cool completely, then add it to the jar along with the remaining 1/2 bottle vodka. Mix well, cover and place back in the dark cool place for another 40 days.

Yup, that’s right, another 40 days… but then, as promised, there will be great joy and jubilation and grand payoffs! Ice cold glasses of limoncello to sip and a gorgeous pie to bake and indulge in! Check back on Wednesday, May 26th for the grand reveal!

Time to gear up for the green! Tomorrow it is finally St. Patrick’s Day, and coincidentally I need to make a couple dozen cookies for a friends, so green it is! These soft cake-like cookies would be perfect for a Tea or Brunch. The “High Tea” theme is popular for wedding and baby showers, and so are these cookies. For a wedding shower you could tint one half of the icing the color of the bridesmaid dresses and leave the other half white. For a baby shower, pink and blue are the obvious choices. No matter what color theme you choose, these cookies will disappear as fast as you put them out!

I tested baking the cookies on both a Silpat lined baking sheet and one that was sprayed with Pam. Although I generally use the Silpat when baking, the cookies turned out a crisper on the unlined pan and in this case, crisper is better. You can see the results for yourself in the pictures below. And thanks to my “cookie tester and model”- Connor, who is home for spring break!

Lemon Tea Cookies

Cookies
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
1/3 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Food coloring of your choice

Cookies: Position oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl, set aside. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg and vanilla, beating until combined well.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mixing just until smooth.

Drop rounded teaspoons of batter 2-inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking; until tops are puffed, edges are pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a racks to cool.

Icing: Stir together powdered sugar, zest, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth, adding drops of water, if needed for a smooth spreadable consistency.

Transfer half of the icing to another bowl and add drops of food coloring as desired. With offset spatula, spread colored icing over half of flat side of each cookie. Starting with cookies you iced first, spread plain white icing over other half of each cookie.

Wait until the icing is dry before stacking cookies, with sheets of parchment or wax paper, between layers. May be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 or 5 days.

Makes about 2  1/2 dozen cookies

In yesterday’s post we were able to use preserved lemons that we made two weeks ago, today the wait will be a bit longer. Eighty days to be exact, that does take a bit of patience! The first step takes 40 days and the second step another 40 days, so if we get going on it today, we will be sipping our limoncello at the end of May, just as the kids are getting out of school (at least here in Scottsdale, when the last day is May 26th!) On April 17th, we will do step two and on May 26th, we will not only complete the process but there will be a wonderful celebratory pie recipe using limoncello awaiting you too! It WILL be worth it!

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur produced mainly in Southern Italy in the region around the Amalfi coast and the islands of Procida, Ischia, and Capri. Traditionally, it is made from the Sorrento lemon, although any lemon will produce a fine limoncello. It is traditionally served chilled as an after dinner digestive, served in small ceramic glasses which are also chilled.

Limoncello has only recently become well known in other parts of the world. It is a popular ingredient in cocktails, as it brings a strong lemon flavor without the bitterness of lemon juice. The liqueur gained notoriety in the United States in November, 2006, when actor Danny DeVito appeared on the The View still drunk from drinking limoncello the night before with his friend George Clooney. DeVito announced, “I knew it was the last seven limoncellos that was going to get me.”  I’ve never before wished I could have been Danny DeVito! Ah, to be enjoying the wonderful limoncello with the wonderful George Clooney, a dream come true!

There are many recipes for Limoncello, my favorite comes from Joanne Weir, an award-winning cooking teacher, cookbook author, and chef. This version comes from her book, Weir Cooking – Recipes from the Wine Country. Joanne is an annual teacher at Les Gourmettes Cooking School and always produces the most fantastically flavorful food. Joanne’s recipe makes 4 bottles (750 ml each), I only make that much during the holidays to give as gifts, here I’ve cut it in half for my own supply.

A little explanation on the pictures: #1 The jar doesn’t need to be That big – but it does need to be large, because after the 40 days, an additional 4 1/2 cups of liquid will be added. #2 No explanation needed – it’s George Clooney for goodness sake! #3It is extremely important to wash the lemons well, with soap and then rinse well. The only part of the lemon you are using is the peel and you need it to be clean! #4 The lone piece of peel on the right has too much pith on it, the other pieces are perfect, just use a light hand when peeling the lemons, don’t press in too hard.

Limoncello

7 large lemons
1 bottle 100 proof vodka (750 ml)

Wash the lemons well with soap and water and rinse well. Peel the lemons with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the white pith from the back of the peel.  Place the peels in a large glass jar along with 1/2 of the bottle of vodka (1 1/2 cups). Cover and place in a dark place for 40 days.

That’s it for now! You’ll get the rest of the recipe on April 17th, I told you, patience is a virtue, so be virtuous along with me!

Preserved lemons are a common ingredient in Moroccan and other North African cuisine. The pulp is sometimes used in stews and sauces and can be used sparingly in Bloody Marys or added to homemade seafood cocktail sauce. But the true treasure of preserved lemons is the peel. The flavor is slightly tart, intensely and wonderfully lemony. Preserved lemon peel is the key ingredient in many Moroccan dishes such as tagines.

Not all preserved lemon recipes call for olive oil, but I like to add it after the fermenting process to help “seal” or cover the lemons and prevent spoilage. Since I have Meyer lemons from my yard and also have the Queen Creek Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, I’ll be using both of those, but regular lemons are more than fine, and in fact, are the traditional lemons used. Limes and grapefruit can be preserved, using the same method and are delicious with curries, seafood, and lamb.

Make your own preserved lemons along with me today, because next week I’ll be posting delicious recipes to get you started using your new bounty!

Preserved Lemons

7 large lemons (regular or Meyer), divided
1/2 cup Kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 5 of the whole lemons and blanch in the boiling water for 5 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and when cool enough to handle, cut lemons into 8 wedges each then remove and discard the seeds.

Toss with salt in a bowl and pack the lemon wedges, plus all the juice and salt left in the bowl, into a 1-quart (4 cup) jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Squeeze juice from the remaining 2 lemons to measure at least 1/2 cup. Add enough juice to completely cover lemons and then close jar tightly with its lid. Let stand at room temperature, shaking and turning gently once a day for 5 days. Then open jar and add olive oil, cover tightly with lid and refrigerate.

(Preserved lemons will keep for up to year in the refrigerator, completely covered with liquid and/or oil.)

Makes 40 pieces

My various citrus trees are producing pounds upon pounds of citrus. The oranges, lemons, and grapefruit are being picked and eaten or used in cooking daily. The limes, blood oranges, and Meyer lemons aren’t quite ready yet, and I’m grateful for that, I can’t keep up as it is! So don’t be surprised to see citrus popping up in just about every post here on out, for months to come.

To kick it off, here is a quick and light salad using another couple favorites; avocado and fennel. The fennel bulb, fronds (leaves), and seeds are used in cooking. The bulb is a crisp, root vegetable and may be sauteed, roasted, stewed, braised, grilled, or eaten raw.  The fronds are delicately flavored and look very similar in shape to dill. The seeds are used either fresh or can be found dried in the spice aisle. The hollow stems are tough and stringy and are usually discarded or used in making vegetable stock. Fennel pollen is actually the most potent form of fennel, but is very expensive and difficult to find. Fennel grows like a weed, so be sure to cultivate the pollen yourself, if you grow fennel in your garden, it is amazing! For this salad, we’re using the bulb and a few of the fronds, as garnish. If you can not find, or do not want to pay the price for, blood oranges or Meyer lemons, use regular oranges and lemons instead.

Fennel, Citrus, and Avocado Salad

Citrus Dressing
1 teaspoon grated Meyer lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated blood orange zest
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2  teaspoons oriental sesame oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad
2 large pink grapefruits, peel and white pith removed (see photo above)
1 blood orange, peel and white pith removed
1 pound fennel bulbs, trimmed, cut into paper-thin slices, fronds reserved
3 cups baby spinach leaves
2 large avocados, halved, pitted, cut into thin slices in the peel, then spooned out of peel

Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Holding the trimmed citrus over a bowl, to catch the juice and segments, use a sharp paring knife to cut between membranes of grapefruits and blood orange to release segments. Using a slotted spoon, remove citrus segments from juice, place in another bowl and set aside.

Toss the fennel slices in the citrus juice.

When ready to serve, mound the spinach on a  large platter. Arrange fennel slices, grapefruit segments, and avocado slices atop spinach. Drizzle 3/4 of the dressing over salad.  Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.

Pass the remaining dressing in a small bowl with the salad.

Serves 8

Lemon Curd Lemon Roll - getting ready for the trip down to Tucson

December 1, 1987 – one of the happiest days of my life! The day my gorgeous daughter, Marissa Lynn, was born. We celebrated as a family on Sunday going to brunch at The Phoenician here in Scottsdale, surprising here with a gift she’s always talked about – a skydiving gift certificate. I will be jumping with her, and will post about it when the day comes, so stay tuned.

This is one of Marissa’s favorite cakes. I was going to ship it overnight, but then found out that Marissa’s darling roommate, Paige, wasn’t heading out to Tucson until Monday afternoon, thank you for the delivery service Paige!

Happy Birthday baby girl. Hope you enjoy the cake with Alberto, Kaley, Petra, Paige, Kelsey, Lindsey, Astrid, Billy, Ryan, Blake, Isaac, and whoever else is with you today. I love and miss you!

Marissa with her brother, Connor, at her birthday brunch

Lemon Curd Lemon Roll

Sponge Cake
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Lemon Curd
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into about 24 small pieces

Powdered sugar
Lemon slices and leaves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 10 x 15-inch baking sheet, line baking sheet with buttered parchment paper and set aside.

Sponge Cake: Place the eggs, sugar, zest and vanilla in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat at high speed until the mixture is light and has tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in flour mixture, being careful not to deflate the egg mixture.  Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the sponge is very lightly browned.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Then invert onto a damp clean kitchen towel sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Gently peel off the parchment paper.  Carefully roll the cake up in the towel, lengthwise.  Set aside, let cool at room temperature.

lemon cake rolled up in the kitchen towel, curd cooling in bowl.

Lemon Curd: Whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a heavy saucepan.  Place pan over low heat, while whisking constantly, add the butter, one piece at a time, adding another piece as the previous melts, until all the butter is incorporated and the curd starts to thicken. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and let cool.

Unroll the cake.  Spread on the cooled curd to cover the sponge cake leaving a 1/2-inch border all around.  Carefully roll the cake again, without the towel.  Transfer to a serving platter.  Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with lemon slices and leaves.  Chill at least 1 hour.

Serves 10

Bonus picture: Me and Maris just after her 2nd birthday on Christmas Day 1989.

Lemon… it is one of my all-time favorite flavors!  Savory or sweet … main course or dessert … international or all-American … in my mind, you can’t beat the taste of lemon.  I’ve made many different versions of lemon bars over the years; meringue topped, layered with cream cheese filling, raspberry topped, and so on.  The flavor of the day is a lovely tropical blend of lemon, coconut, and almond.  Until just recently you always had to toast most nuts yourself, but now you can find already toasted almond slices (and pine nuts too) at Trader Joe’s – another wonderful gift of convenience given to us by the wonderful TJ”s!

Dave and I are traveling down to Tucson for a quick 24 hour turn-around trip to visit our darling daughter, Marissa. After the Cut-Out Sugar Cookie post of the other day, Marissa asked me to bring her and her roommates, Kaley, Petra, Page, and Kelsey, a batch of decorated cookies. But as I said in the post, I don’t enjoy making those darn things, so the answer is “No!” But lemon bars, that’s another matter, these come together in moments, so girls, we, and these luscious lemon bars, are on our way down south…. see you soon! xoxo

Almond-Coconut Lemon Bars

Crust
1 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted and cooled

Filling
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Powdered sugar, for garnish

Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9x13x2-inch baking dish. Combine flour, powdered sugar and almonds in the bowl of a food processor and blend until almonds are finely ground. Add butter, and using the pulse button, mix in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the coconut and pulse until just blended. Press mixture into bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Maintain oven temperature.

Filling: Place eggs, sugar, lemon juice, flour and lemon zest in the same food processor bowl, no need to clean first and turn on machine for a few seconds, just long enough to blend well. Pour filling into warm crust. Bake until mixture is set, about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.

When completely cool, cut into 24 bars. Sift powdered sugar over top before serving.

Makes 24