Sarah’s piece on Meyer lemons last week got me thinking about some of my favorite ways to use these fragrant lovelies. Abundant as they are this time of year in my area, they can almost be had for the picking (or foraging). Meyer lemons are commonly found in backyards all over the Bay Area, where they thrive in our Mediterranean climate. In fact, it’s practically customary to bring a bag of Meyer lemons as a hostess gift throughout the winter months.
This lemon curd is easy to make and somewhat addictive. You might even find yourself baking scones so you’ll have the perfect vehicle for it. It’s also fantastic on English muffins, biscuits, and plain old toast. Try layering it in a parfait glass with mascarpone cheese and crumbled almond cookies. (It’s shown here as a French toast topping.)
If you cannot find Meyer Lemons and wish to make this recipe with other varieties, increase the sugar to 3/4 cup. If you grow fresh herbs, it’s fun to flavor this curd with a little lavender or lemon verbena.
Makes about 1 cup
3 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup fresh Meyer Lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon Meyer Lemon zest (finely chopped or from a microplane)
Set a stainless steel bowl over simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl sits up above the water level. In the bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 5 to 8 minutes. Immediately strain into a clean bowl, and add the butter a little at a time, whisking to incorporate each addition before adding the next. Stir in the lemon zest. Cover with plastic wrap (directly on the surface) and cool, Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Image: pudgeefeet
Recipe Copyright Vanessa Barrington 2009