When life gives you Meyer lemons........

I've written before about my beloved Meyer lemon tree that I keep at the wine shack. I love the fact that I am able to grow citrus in our decidedly non-citrus friendly climate. The smug satisfaction I get from vexing mother nature's natural tendencies is quite satisfying. Plus it fills the store with a head spinning citrus blossom smell when it is in full bloom. Best of all this time of year it provides a bounty of wonderfully scented little Meyer lemons for getting creative with.
This year with the first harvest I decided to do some preserved Meyer lemons for future braising needs. I found this recipe that in the Gourmet cookbook that is ridiculously easy. If you are not so fortunate to have your own tree then this is the season to get to your local market to grab these yellow orbs while they are in season. My next few lemons are going into a Meyer lemon marmalade, and I hope to have enough leftover to make a few of these sublimely fragrant Pear Brandy &Meyer Lemon Sidecars and maybe even a batch of this other wordly Meyer Lemon Risotto!
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Preserved Meyer Lemons
from the Gourmet Cookbook

Preserving a Meyer lemon captures its glorious perfume. We’ve adapted cookbook author Paula Wolfert’s quick method, our favorite, and made it even faster by blanching the lemons first. The rind of a preserved lemon is a common ingredient in Moroccan dishes; we also love it in all kinds of soups, stews, and salads and as a low-fat alternative to olives. Save the pulp for Bloody Marys or anything else enlivened by a little lemon juice and salt.

Yield: Makes 48 pieces
Active Time: 15 min
Total Time: 5 days

ingredients:
2 1/2 to 3 pounds Meyer lemons (10 to 12)
2/3 cup coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Special equipment: 6-cup jar with tight-fitting lid












method:
Blanch 6 lemons in boiling water 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut lemons into 8 wedges each and discard seeds. Toss with salt in a bowl and pack into jar.
Squeeze enough juice from remaining lemons to measure 1 cup. Add enough juice to cover lemons and cover jar with lid. Let stand at room temperature, shaking gently once a day, 5 days. Add oil and chill.
Cooks' note: Preserved lemons keep, chilled, up to 1 year.

Raita: millions of Indians can't be wrong!

It was halfway through the main course of spice crusted pork (recipe to come this week) last night during a dinner party at our house when my friend Amy said "This is delicious, but I wish I had some raita." I instantly had that "oh shit" moment and ran to the fridge to grab the bowl of raita I had made with such anticipation earlier in the day and completely forgot to bring to the table. Better late than never I suppose.

Raita. As ketchup is to Americans, chismol to Hondurans, and ajvar to those of the Balkan persuasion, raita is the yogurt-based accompaniment that millions of Indian families will not go without. As Vikram Vij says in his "Vij's Cookbook", where this recipe come from: "With the exception of coconut curries, it's hard to think of any Indian dish with which we would not eat raita." And no wonder. With its subtly complex flavor and cool, creamy texture, it's the perfect foil to the pungently spicy dishes of India. Vij says they also at times eat it on its own as a soup. Ridiculously easy to make, this is a must at your next sub-continental soirée!
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Cucumber Raita
from the Vij's Cookbook

ingredients:
2 cups plain yogurt
1 medium to large cucumber, peeled or unpeeled (do not use bitter cucumbers or the long English cucumber. If you want to add color to this dish, don't peel the cucumber. Make sure the peel is not bitter)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup milk (optional, use if raita appears too thick)

method:
Place yogurt in bowl. Using a hand grater, grate cucumber and all of its water into the yogurt. Stirl well to combine. Add salt, garam masala, and pepper, and mix well.

Turning the Page on Tartar Sauce

You mean you're still using tartar sauce? What, does your favorite fish come frozen and breaded in a box that says "Gorton's", too? If you answered "yes" to either...not both I hope...then it's time to explore other avenues of fish-appropriate condimentia. I found this remoulade recipe from a great new cookbook that came out last year, "Fish Without A Doubt" by Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore. This book is filled with simple, well thought out recipes. Expect to see more from it here in the future. This spicy remoulade was the sauce for their Remoulade Salmon on the Grill, and it is fantastic. You slather both sides of skinless salmon fillets with the sauce before you throw them on the grill then serve the remaining sauce on the side. So rich and flavorful, with depth, spice, and complexity that you'll never get with tartar sauce. The harissa (either buy it at the store or use this fabulous recipe) that is added gives it a brilliant spark. It would work with any fish you'd pair with tartar sauce, only everything will taste so much better!
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Spicy Remoulade
from Fish Without A Doubt

ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
3 anchovy fillets
2 tbsp minced cornichons
1 tbsp nonpareil capers
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1-1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
6 dashes Tabasco
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chervil
2 tsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp harissa
Coarse salt or freshly ground pepper

method:
Whisk the mayonnaise, anchovies, cornichons, capers, lemon zest and juice, mustard, Tabasco, parsley or chervil, dill, and harissa together in a bowl. Taste, and adjust the harissa for spiciness (I ended up adding almost another teaspoon-bb), keeping in mind that the heat will develop as the sauce sits. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. The remoulade will keep for at least a week.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: channeling Ernest Hemingway with this deliciously summery daiquiri cocktail!

The King is dead, long live the King!!

Until a few years ago I used to think that ketchup was the undisputed King of Condiments. Heinz ruled the tomatoey kingdom (and still does as far as all things ketchup go). But times change, and with my ever expanding world view (to go with my equally expanding waistline), I am now an Aioli Advocate.

Garlicky mayonnaise. Is anything simpler, or more versatile in the condiment firmament? On burgers, with grilled fish, shrimp, veggies. Dipping french fries. Yum!! Plus it takes well to riffing, as the following will attest. Add a few spices into your mix, and you can tailor it to suit any edible exploring that may be happening. I did this particular Smoked Paprika Aioli to go with some sautéed shrimp and fried okra poppers (I'll post those as soon as I get them just right...I'm very close) I was feeding my friends for an app course before a recent dinner party. It was fantastic, and received glowing reviews. And sure, you could make your own aioli from scratch, and I have and it's actually even better, but I agree with Bittman, there's nothing wrong with using a Best Foods (or Heileman's, depending on your geographic location) base. Follow this or do your own take. So good!
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Smoked Paprika (Pimenton) Aioli
adapted from Mark Bittman/How to Cook Everything

This would also be an awesome condiment with the Spanish Roast Halibut mentioned at the bottom of this post, which is divine!

ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)
1-1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic, or to taste

method (now read this carefully, because it gets REALLY complicated):
1- Mix all the ingredients together.

Wow, can you believe you made something so complicated? Take that, Keller!
This actually improved given an hour or two in the fridge, and will last several days for further enjoyment.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: Happy Holidays with this incredible Standing Rib Roast with Rosemary-Thyme Crust