Italian Lemons
The best of the lot…
There is a God, the buyer responsible for sourcing one of my all time favourite fruits in the supermarket close to my home has leapt up in my estimation. These are my favourite lemons, large juicy Italian numbers still with their leaves attached they are so much nicer than the regular lemons sold the world over. Smaller unwaxed lemons are the next best thing but they still cannot compare to a squirt of these over some grilled fish or pasta.
One of my all time favourite dishes has to be a big chunk of Brill covered with thin slices of these lemons, splashed with olive oil and seasoned with sea salt, ground black pepper and a sprig of thyme or oregano. Baked until just cooked the juices are spooned back over the fish before being used to flavour some hot new potatoes. Champion!!
Sicilian Lemons, I could almost eat one like an orange!!
Miles,
I shall think of you as the Marlon Brando of Sicilian lemon lovers from now on
Cid
April 2, 2009 @ 6:25 pm
Miles,
From a supermarket? That’s really quite impressive. To see something with its leaves on in a supermarket is a rarity indeed.
However, I think the closest I’ll come to Sicilian lemons in my local supermarket is an Air Wick FreshMatic.
GDave
April 2, 2009 @ 8:25 pm
I’ll take a plate of Brill chef
Double portion table 5 and hold the potatoes !
Hungry Nosed Rod
April 2, 2009 @ 8:25 pm
Cid,
Not in his fat years I hope!!!
Miles
April 2, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
GDave,
I know, I was suprised too, maybe things are looking up?
Miles
April 2, 2009 @ 8:44 pm
Rod,
Fat chance!!!
Miles (tucking into a Welsh rarebit)
April 2, 2009 @ 8:45 pm
Miles,
That Welsh rarebit might be hot so eat it Caerphilly.
GDave (getting his coat)
April 2, 2009 @ 9:27 pm
GDave,
Any more of those and you’re toast!!!
Brie warned
Miles
April 2, 2009 @ 9:53 pm
Miles,
Do you ever get your hands on Meyer lemons? Very fun to play around with. Will be on the lookout for these - I doubt they make it to the states, the citrus lobby would complain bitterly about it.
My favorite Brando film is one of his last -The Freshman - great film and a comedy to boot!
April 3, 2009 @ 2:27 am
Dave,
No I don’t but I’ve heard about them. Will look into it, I’m sure I recall seeing a recipe using them in one of Charlie Trotter’s books.
Miles
April 3, 2009 @ 8:35 am
Miles,
I’m a lemon lover too, and like Dave, Meyer lemons are a favorite of mine, but when they’re around, they’re very pricey.
I have a question about the herbs (I always seem to be one or two posts behind over here). You suggested tearing a fresh bay leaf, putting in my soup, then removing it before I blend the soup. Why is that? Why remove it?
Right now I’m doing this cleanse thing and am making very simple soups from a fresh vegetables. Herb combining seems to bring simple soups to a new level, but I’m not sure what goes with what.
Do you ever use burdock root as an ingredient?
I’m eating a good share of that right now (for healthy reasons) and made soup yesterday out of that and some other things (onions, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, carrots), but had no idea what herbs to add to bring it up a notch. Bay leaf? You said you’d put that in just about anything. Is that truly a “generic” herb you can use when in doubt about what would be best?
Thanks chef!
Melissa
April 3, 2009 @ 12:55 pm
Melissa,
Freshly torn bay are quite strong and will impart plenty of flavour as they simmer ina stock or sauce. If you puree them then it’s best to pass the sauce/soup through a sieve afterwards.
I consider bay to be a ‘base’ ingredient in cooking, thyme would be nice in the soup that you mention.
If it’s mixed vegetable based then go for hardy herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sage and savory. Other soups such as tomato based ones love tarragon, basil, rosemary, oregano. Anything from a pod (peas and various beans) will be good for chives, mint, lemon balm, parsley.
I cannot say with authority (unlike yourself) but a clear broth of chicken, beef and/or vegetables with some ginger, chilli and garlic would sound good for what you want. Just finish it right at the last moment with a great hanful of coriander/cilantro and some Asian basil and lime leaves.
As for burdock I don’t use it a great deal, I know it is valued for its use in detox drinks etc but it’s rarely used in kitchens.
Let me know if you need any help with it.
Miles
April 3, 2009 @ 8:44 pm
Miles,
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I printed this information out and it’s going with my spice rack. What a tremendous help this will be. When I write my CSA cookbook, you will get some credit.
:-)
Your comment is especially timely as my blog exploded today and I am in the process of a mini breakdown. I’m not at the point of flailing around on the floor yet, but I’m close to it. Everything is gone at this point, even all my drafts I had lined up waiting to be finished and published.
Breathe in, breathe out.
If I wasn’t on this dang cleanse, I reach for a bottle of wine, your lemon drenched brill, and a dozen of Cid’s macaroons.
Thank you!
Melissa
April 3, 2009 @ 11:31 pm
Melissa,
Hope all will soon be well with your blog. These things are sent to try us….. just as well you’re not here or we’d both be hitting the wine and macaron perched up on one of Miles’ bars being quiet and refined
By the way I love the sound of Meyer lemons but haven’t found a source yet in the UK. How’s the dang cleanse going?
Cid
April 4, 2009 @ 5:15 pm
Melissa,
Wondered what had happened, I went to have a look yesterday and I thought you’d ‘done a runner’ so to speak.
Hope you get it all sorted.
Miles
April 4, 2009 @ 8:28 pm