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| A Bowl with Lemons by Giovanna Carzo |
According to Wikipedia, citrus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family of Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos and limes, which are very important crops.
Recent research indicates the origin of citrus fruits in the Himalayas, while older research indicated the origin specifically in Northern India, Burma (Myanmar) and in the Yunnan Province of China. It is in these regions that some commercial species such as oranges, mandarins and lemons originated. Citrus fruits have been cultivated in “an ever-widening area”, since ancient times. They are native to the subtropical regions of Asia and the Malay Archipelago and were first domesticated in these areas.
Some citrus species have been present in the Mediterranean basin area, for centuries. Due to the mild winters and the fertile soil, they achieved a high quality of fruit, much better than the regions from which they originated.
The Spanish “conquistadores” introduced citrus fruit to Florida. Apparently, they are over fifty kinds of citrus fruits cultivated worldwide.
Here are a few recipes with citrus fruit.
Greek smoked trout and smoked salmon are of excellent quality. We are very proud of our food industry and especially of small food producers, all over Greece
Here are a few recipes with citrus fruit.
EGG AND LEMON SOUP
Avgolemono, a typically Greek soup, is prepared according to taste. For a smooth and creamy soup use beaten egg yolks only, if a frothy texture is preferred, use whole eggs, yolks and whites whipped separately.
2 litres (8 cups plus) tasty chicken, meat or fish stock
6 level tbsp short grain rice
3 egg yolks or
2 eggs, separated, whites whipped into soft peaks
1 lemon, juice only
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring the stock to the boil, stir in the rice, lower the heat and simmer until the rice is soft. (15-20 minutes). Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Beat the egg yolks and if whole eggs are used, gently fold in the whipped whites add the lemon juice and stir gently. Very slowly pour 1½ - 2 cups hot stock into the egg mixture, beating constantly, and pour, slowly, back into the saucepan and swirl.
Return the saucepan to low heat and keep stirring. Don’t let the soup boil! Taste and add more salt, freshly ground pepper and lemon juice, if necessary.
SMOKED TROUT MOUSSE
620 g (1 lb 4 oz) smoked trout fillets, checked for possible bones and cut into small pieces
6 thin slices smoked salmon
Sauce:
4 tbsp butter
5 tbsp cornflour
500 ml (2 cups) or more hot milk
1 medium-sized onion
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
5 sheets gelatin, separated and steeped in iced cold water for 5-7 minutes
125 g (½ cup) mayonnaise, low fat if preferred
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 grated rind of 1 lemon
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
2 tbsp chopped dill
250 ml full cream, whipped into soft peaks
Salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper
Parsley, halved lemon slices, a few chive stalks for garnish
Bring the milk to the boil, with the onion and bay leaf. Remove from the fire and leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, line a cake tin with a hole in the middle, first with cling film, leaving the excess hanging over the sides. Then, cover with the salmon slices forming an attractive design, also leaving the excess hanging over the sides of the cake tin.
Prepare the sauce. Melt butter, add the cornflour and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes. Strain the milk and add it gradually to the roux, stirring constantly. Simmer the sauce until it thickens and bubbles, stirring for 3-4 minutes more. Remove from the heat and cool a little.
Squeeze the gelatin sheets, in order to extract all the water, and mix very well into the warm sauce until completely dissolved. Add the sauce to the smoked trout and blend until smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and quickly add the mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, spring onions and mix very well together. Fold in the whipped cream and then taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, freshly ground white pepper and lemon juice, if necessary.
Spoon the trout mousse, evenly, into the prepared cake tin and fold the salmon slices that are overhanging over the mouse. Place extra pieces of smoked salmon to cover any possible gaps. Cover securely with a plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.
One hour before serving, remove the mousse from the refrigerator, unfold the cling film and carefully reverse it onto a serving dish. Garnish with parsley (in the hole in the middle), lemon slices and chives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to offer it to your guests. Serve with a zesty green salad and crusty, warm bread.
VEAL AND PRUNES COOKED WITH WINE AND ORANGE JUICE
Make this delicious dish for your family and friends.
1 kg (2 lb) veal, cut into bite-sized pieces
Very little salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large onion, peeled and grated
1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed
2 tbsp olive oil
250 ml (1 cup) sweet red wine, like mavrodaphne or vinsanto (a wine from Santorini)
12 or more pitted prunes
250 ml (1 cup) fresh orange juice
500 ml (2 cups) tasty meat stock
1 tbsp mustard with honey
Sauté the meat in olive oil and sprinkle with very little salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Transfer to a dish, with a slotted spoon, and reserve.
In the same saucepan sauté the onion until soft. Stir in the garlic and after 2 minutes add the reserved meat and stir until hot. Pour in the wine and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the alcohol evaporates.
Add the prunes and pour in the orange juice and enough meat stock to just cover. Simmer gently until the meat is tender and sauce thick. Stir in the mustard with honey then taste and add a little salt, if necessary.
Serve accompanied with roast sweet potatoes and a green salad of your choice.
GRAPEFRUIT AND AVOCADO SALAD
This salad is a great favourite and can be served as a first dish.
2 medium-sized ruby grapefruits
Dressing:
1 tsp finely grated grapefruit rind
2 spring onions, white parts only trimmed and very finely chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 medium-sized avocados, peeled, cubed or sliced and drenched with extra lemon juice
Tender lettuce leaves
Chervil leaves for garnish.
Cut all the bitter pith off the grapefruit. Over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections. Then squeeze the membranes for the juice.
For the dressing, place 2 tbsp of juice into another bowl and add the grated grapefruit rind, the spring onions, the lemon juice and wait for 10 minutes. Then stir in the olive oil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Season the avocado with a little salt and place it in a salad bowl lined with tender lettuce leaves. Place the grapefruit segments evenly over and drizzle with the dressing. Serve sprinkled with chervil leaves.
LEMON TART
Eddie Kotsis often makes this fabulous dessert for us when we play bridge.
Crust:
250 g butter, at room temperature
½ cup of sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour combined with a
Pinch of salt
Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups of sugar
The grated rind of 1 lemon
50 g self-raising flour, sifted with
½ tsp baking powder
160 ml lemon juice or according to taste
For the crust, blend the ingredients until just combined. Wrap and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 180 C (350 F).
Roll the dough out thinly and line a 28 cm baking tin, prick with a fork all over, and chill for 15 minutes until firm. Bake the pastry shell blind, for 20 minutes.
In the meantime whip the eggs with the sugar and lemon zest until light, fluffy and almost doubled in bulk. Gently fold in the flour and baking powder mixture, and the lemon juice.
Take the filling to the oven and pour it over the hot baked crust, and bake for 25 minutes (or more). Serve sprinkled with icing sugar.
MUMMY’S LEMON CAKE WITH LEMON ICING
My beloved mother used to make this lovely, lemony cake for us, so many years ago.
Cake:
150 g self-raising flour
120 g butter, softened
120 g sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 ¼ tsp lemon juice
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
Lemon Icing:
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp water
Finely grated rind of a small lemon
Enough icing sugar to make a smooth, runny icing about 120 g (1 ¾ cup)
Mix all the ingredients for the cake together and beat for 2 minutes. Pour into a round tin, lined with buttered baking parchment, and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for about 35-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Meanwhile mix all the lemon icing ingredients together, until a smooth runny icing is obtained. When the cake is almost cold spread lavishly over the top leaving a few drops to trickle down the sides. Garnish with grated lemon rind.
LEMON CAKES OR CUPCAKES
A lovely cake or cupcakes
1 whole lemon chopped and deseeded
100 g sugar
2 eggs separated, whites whipped stiff with a pinch of salt and 2 tbs icing sugar
100 g melted butter
150 self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp thick yogurt
Icing
6 tbsp icing sugar
Enough lemon juice and water to make an almost spreadable icing
Thickly grated lemon rind for garnishing
Blend sugar and the lemon until smooth. Stir in the melted butter. Combine the self-raising flour with the baking powder and add to the lemon mixture alternately with the yogurt. Fold in the whipped egg whites and scrape into a well-greased cake tin or spoon into the sockets of a cupcake tin.
Bake the cake in a preheated in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for 45 minutes. Cupcakes need about 20 minutes baking.
TARTLETS FILLED WITH LEMON CURD
Do prepare these delightful small tartlets!
Pastry:
260 g (13 oz) 2 cups self-raising flour
2 cups butter cut into tiny pieces
3 tbsp icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp grated lemon rind
1 egg yolk
1½ tbsp. fine semolina
A little orange fizz
Mix all the ingredients together until a soft pliable dough occurs. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes at least.
Roll out the dough, thinly, between two pieces of baking parchment. Cut rounds of pastry with a biscuit cutter and line the buttered mini tartlet dishes. Pierce them all over with the prong of a fork and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 15-20 minutes.
LEMON CURD
A delicious preserve of English cuisine.
4 lemons, the juice
2 lemons, the finely grated rind
300 g (10 oz) icing sugar
8 eggs
250 g (½ lb) soft butter
Beat all the ingredients together until just mixed. Cook au bain Marie, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens. Stain, cool and store in the fridge in sterilized jars.
Fill the tartlets with lemon curd and serve with a cup of tea.
ORANGE GATEAU
This is a recipe for a delicious dessert that is a great favourite with my family.
250 g (½ lb) butter
400 g (2 cups) sugar
2 heaped tbsp thickly grated orange rind
5 medium-sized eggs
390 g (3 cups) plain flour, sifted with
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
A generous pinch of salt
62.5 ml (¼ cup) fresh orange juice, mixed with
187.5 ml (¾ cup) yogurt
Vanilla
Syrup:
125 ml (½ cup) sugar
125 ml (½ cup) fresh orange juice
1-2 tbsp orange liqueur, optional
Orange icing:
Mix:
2 cups or more icing sugar
1 tsp finely grated orange rind
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
A tiny pinch of salt
Beat butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the grated orange rind and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the flour and the yogurt/orange mixture, alternately, mixing thoroughly after each addition until well combined.
Place in a round tin, lined with baking parchment, and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 35 minutes or until a tester, inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. After 10 minutes, invert the cake on an attractive serving dish.
While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup. Simmer the sugar with the fresh orange juice, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange liqueur, if using. With a spoon drizzle the syrup over the cake.
Also, prepare the orange icing, and when the cake is completely cold, spread evenly. Garnish the gateau with crystallized orange slices.
This is a lovely light dessert.
LEMON MOUSSE
This is a lovely light dessert.
250 g (½ lb) double cream, whipped stiff with
1 tbsp icing sugar or more if necessary and
A pinch of salt
200 g (1 tub) thick Greek yogurt
One 395 g (13 3/5 oz) tin sweet, condensed milk
150-200 ml (5–7 fl. oz) lemon juice
The grated rind of 1 lemon
Extra grated lemon rind for garnish
Beat the yogurt to make it creamy. Also, whip the condensed milk with the lemon juice and the grated rind until it resembles a glossy cream. Stir in the yogurt until well combined.
Finally, gently fold in the whipped cream. Place in small glasses and serve sprinkled with grated lemon rind.
LEMON BLOSSOM PRESERVE
If you are fortunate to live next to a lemon orchard, try making this delicious spoon sweet.
250 g (1/2 lb) lemon blossoms, cleaned and washed
The juice of 2 lemons
1 kg (2 lbs) sugar
1 litre (about 4 cups) water
Place the lemon blossoms in a large saucepan full of boiling water. When partly cooked, strain and boil again with plenty of fresh water. Strain the blossoms, place them in a glass or ceramic dish and sprinkle them with half the lemon juice. Cover the dish with double muslin and place in the sun for 2-3 hours. Parboil the lemon blossoms, once more, then strain and wash them with plenty of water.
Prepare a thick syrup with the water, sugar and the remaining lemon juice. While the syrup is still boiling, press the blossoms between your hands to extract the excess moisture and add them to the syrup. Boil for 5 minutes, not more. Pour the preserve into sterilized jars, let cool and seal.
BITTER ORANGE SPOON SWEET
My talented daughter-in-law, Yianna, gave me the recipe the delicious spoon sweet, that when sliced can also be used for garnishing cakes and desserts.
12 bitter oranges, washed and dried, weighing 570 g (about 1 lb 2 oz)
1 kg 200 g (almost 2 lb 7 oz) sugar
750 ml (3 cups) water
1 lemon, the juice
Grate the orange skins slightly to prevent bitterness. Score the rinds into 4-6 segments, according to the size of the fruit.
Roll each segment tightly. With the help of a thick needle and strong kitchen thread, pierce each roll to prevent it from opening. Sew 20-24 rolls of orange peel together, resembling a necklace and tie the two ends of the string together.
Place the necklaces in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Strain and wash thoroughly under cold running water. Also, thoroughly wash the saucepan. Repeat the procedure twice more until the fruit is tender. If not, simmer until the desired tenderness is obtained.
Place the orange rolls in a large bowl with cold water. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times more until the fruit is cold.
Then place again in cold water for 16-18 hours, changing the water for 5-6 times. Taste a small morsel from the centre of the peel to check bitterness. If it is still bitter, change the water twice more, leaving the fruit submerged for 6 hours.
Strain and dry the necklaces and remove the thread. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup by combining water and sugar and allowing it to boil for 4-5 minutes. Add the fruit and bring to a brisk boil. After 5 minutes remove the saucepan from the stove.
Seven to eight hours later, bring the saucepan to the boil for 5-10 minutes or until the syrup thickens. Pour in the lemon juice and simmer for 2-3 minutes more. Allow the spoon sweet to cool a little and ladle into sterilized jars.
Seal securely, reverse the jars, until the jars are completely cold. Ke tou chronou!!
This is really a very easy way of making marmalade, with excellent results.
1 kg (2 lbs) non-treated, un-waxed oranges
Sugar (see instructions below)
Wash the oranges, place them in a saucepan, cover with hot water, and simmer until soft. Strain and reserve the cooking water. When cool enough to handle, slice the oranges as thinly as possible, discarding any pips and hard parts.
Mix the sliced oranges with the reserved liquid and measure the mixture in cups (volume). Stir in the same amount of cups of sugar and simmer gently, skimming if necessary, until the marmalade sets, about 30-40 minutes. Allow the marmalade to cool a little, then pour into sterilized jars and seal.
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| The Lemon Tree by Elaine Cory |
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| Five Lemons by Jennifer Lommers |
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