Happy January!!! Happy New Year 2023 If the year gives you any lemons just make soufflés!!!!!

  New addition:  Chicken Piccata meatballs:

Who doesn't love chicken piccata?  Lemons and capers?  So yummy.  I thought I would add another recipe to this LEMON post   I subscribe to Giddy.com which is Giada de Laurentis' cooking website.  I found this recipe complete with video.  It takes very little time.  The recipe is perfect but I would double the sauce part....you just have to have plenty of sauce to cover  pasta or sop up with bread. Bueno appetito!

Chicken Piccata meatballs 

 Here we are in a New Year with lots of hope and ideas to look forward too.  Somewhere in every year something "poopy" happens.  Then what?  Make lemonade from your lemons or soufflés or dessert bars or simply a fabulous vinaigrette:

There's always something to harvest in the garden.  This week it's LEMONS!  If I were to have only one food producing plant in my home or garden it would be a lemon tree...even better a Meyer lemon tree and even better two trees.  The first year I moved here (2018) I planted a Meyer lemon tree.  It was small but with a lot of hope.  Last year she gave me 4-5 beautiful sweet fruit.  This year I have about 25.  I am thrilled:

Meyer lemons are a little sweeter than regular California Eureka  lemons.  The skin is a little more orange and thin,  It's zest is so pungent and flavorful in cooking.  It's thought that Meyer's are a cross between a Eureka and a Mandarin orange.

 So now that I have an abundance of lemons in January what do I do with them?  My first urge was to make a lemon soufflé.  So for New Year's Eve I prepared this delightful dessert:

I started counting my eggs - I need 4 eggs plus 2 extra whites. I need the zest of a lemon and 3/4 cups of lemon juice.  Well here's the complete recipe; 

 for lemon soufflé  from the Food Network and Ann Burell.  I also like Julia's recipe found in an earlier post.

OK now I have two extra yolks.....hmm..... Lemon Bars??  Lemon bars are basically a shortbread on the bottom and lemon curd baked on top.  This calls for 4 eggs and 2 extra yolks...hey...I have two extra yolks.  Also the zest of a lemon (Meyer, please) and a full cup of lemon juice

Oh these are pretty, nest pas?  Any other time of the year I would be searching for friends to give my extra farm eggs to but I actually had to buy eggs to supply myself with the 10 eggs for these two desserts and you all know how hard it is to find pasture raised eggs these days and I had to pay for them!!!!  Yikes!!!

I have tried a lot of lemon bar recipes but this one is my best so far.  I actually made the shortbread layer two days before I added the lemon curd layer.  It worked out fine.  Here's my recipe for lemon bars

also from Food Network.

All of my granddaughters are fabulous bakers.  Last week the youngest (almost teenager) Gabriela made lemon bars too:

Oh the curd looks so rich and what a beautiful color.  She used Rose Levy Beranbaum's Ultimate Lemon Butter Bar recipe which is also very reliable and a go to must.  I would highly recommend Rose's Christmas Cookie book for your kitchen library.  Her Cookie Bible is also a great investment.  Well done Gabriela!!!

Well what else to do with my bounty?

I'm going to side step a bit and share a little art quilt project I did a few years ago.  When I had collected enough full size quilts I started looking for a variation art.  I met Jane LaFazio in Oceanside for my first art quilt class.  I love love embroidery, ribbons, buttons and beads so this little post card sized "quilt" was a perfect project.  

OK next lemon recipe:  Simple lemon vinaigrette:  

1/3 cup lemon juice

2/3 cup good olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

plus any seasonings, herbs you want to add

OK  Now that I have my vinaigrette ready time to make a salad.  I had to buy a fennel but all other participants are from the garden....yes even in January

Kale salad mis en place:

4 cups Kale leaves - if the ribs are tough, cut out

radishes - about a cup 

fennel, 1/2 bulb

I like to grow the dinosaur kale with purple ribs....who doesn't want more anthocyanins in their diet?

What's this? you ask.  It's a watermelon radish.  This one is about a 2 1/2" bulb.  Watermelon radish has no bitterness especially freshly picked.  They are easy to grow in cool weather.  You can also get them at good produce markets this time of year.....about $4/lb

Kale salad with fennel and radishes - undressed

Then I dressed it with the lemon vinaigrette and added some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. avocado and some Nicoise olives.  That was my dinner!!!!  I'm having it again tonight.  This salad holds well even when dressed.  It's one of those few salads that you can make ahead and will last almost a week.

Another side step:  This art quilt is about 8" by 8" 

With all of my favorite notions: fabric, beands, embroidery and ribbons.  Don't you just love pink grapefruit?

So what's better than one lemon tree?  Two!!  I live on my grandparents property.  My grandmother loved lemon trees too.  She had one in the front yard for many years.  My brother, Dan, tells me for some reason it was moved to the back of the property where my orchard is now.  A month before I moved in almost all of the trees on the property along with all of the overgrowth was cut to the ground.  Last year on the side of an unidentified trunk up came little stocks with leaves on them that looked like citrus leaves....lemon leaves.  So I nurtured it, fertilized it, pruned it and had about 3 lemons last year.  Well look at it this year! Eureka!!!  I love my job as a farmer.

And a footnote.  As I walked the property this evening I can see my next bounty ripening:  Key Limes

Happy January friends!!

lemon curd ice cream

lemon curd ice cream, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

It's still July and I am still making ice cream. Last week I made lemon sorbet with fresh squeezed lemon juice and I had extra juice so I kept going. First I made the lemon curd ( I used 1 cup) and then a batch of creme Anglaise....cooled both and blended them together before adding them to the ice cream maker. For a rich, creamy and lemony ice cream try this one for sure. Add a dollop of lemon curd or some strawberries or both

Bon Appetit!

lemon curd cake

lemon curd cake
Originally uploaded by cabanagirl

Whitney's birthday cake!
Lemon curd cake from Martha Stewart's BAKING HANDBOOK (p. 153, lemon curd= P.390. lemon swiss meringue buttercream frosting p 386
It will take 20 eggs, 2 lbs of butter, 9 lemons and most of the day. It was yummy!

Lime curd tart with fresh raspberries

lime curd tart with fresh raspberries, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

There is nothing like the taste of lime to calm down a spicy Mexican dish or add freshness to the end of your meal. I got the inspiration from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, in a recipe she published in 1999. I very rarely ever follow a recipe exactly so I thought I would get my little tart pans out and make individual servings.
Lime curd has its own unique flavor but I have made the classic lemon curd, tangerine curd and even grapefruit curd. The method is the same just choose your citrus. This is a shortbread crust but any crust will do. Check out Ina's original recipe for both the crust and the curd.

Meyer lemon with shadows

Meyer lemon with shadows
Originally uploaded by cabanagirl

It was a warm sunny day here...lots of sunshine to ripen these lemons. Just in time because I need the fruit for lemon curd.  The next morning lemon curd with strawberries, yogurt and a puff pastry friend.

Slow cooker meal- Chicken and Coconut Curry

This is a 4 hour meal in the slow cooker.  I am usually not a fan of curry but this is a mild Thai chili sauce.  I think you will love it.  I do.

Chicken and coconut curry

 Chicken and Coconut Curry

Ingredients:

chicken thighs, skin on, bone in 5 lbs
1/2 red onion
6 cloves garlic
1 TBS Thai red curry paste
grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1 TBS plus 1 tsp Asian fish sauce
salt and pepper
2 Tbs plus 2 tsp canola oil (or any high smoke oil -avocado, grape seed)
1 cup chicken stock
1 3/4 cup coconut milk - that's one 14 oz. can
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into matchsticks
1/2 tsp Asian sesame oil
1/2 cup chopped Thai basil (or mint)

steamed Jasmine rice for serving
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut, toasted

sauce mis en place

This is another recipe taken from The New Slow Cooker.  Again it's a perfect combination of the rich flavors of food cooked for long hours on low heat finished with fresh vegetables -green beans- and topped with even more freshness of the quick cooked pepper and Thai basil with another topping of crunchy toasted coconut.  You can warm this meal up for left overs but still have the toppings separate to add that freshness and crunch.

Method:

In a food processor (my 4 cup mini was big enough) combine the onion, garlic, curry paste, the lime zest and juice, the 1 TBS fish sauce, 1/4 tsp salt, and several grinds of pepper.  Pulse until a chunky puree forms.  Set aside.

chili sauce

Pat the chicken thighs dry.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a large, heat frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the 2 tbs canola oil.  When the oil is hot, working in batches, add the chicken and sear, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes total.  Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker.

seared chicken thighs

Reduce the heat to medium, add the curry mixture, and sauce, stirring often, until fragrant, about 4 minutes.  Whisk in the stock and coconut milk and then bring to a simmer. 

such a pretty sauce

Transfer to the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 4 hours.  Chicken should be tender.

Using a slotted spoon transfer the chicken pieces to a plate.  Remove the meat from the bones, and discard the bones and skin.  Shred the meat.  Return the chicken meat to the slow cooker.

Meanwhile steam the green beans for 3-4 minutes and blanch in ice water.  Stir the beans into the slow cooker, recover and warm about 5 minutes.

In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tsp canola oil.  Add the red pepper and stir and toss until glossy and beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes.  Remove from the heat, add the remaining 1 tsp fish sauce, the sesame oil, and the basil and toss to mix well.

pepper and Thai basil

Spoon the rice into warm shallow bowl and top with the curry.  Garnish with the red pepper mixture and toasted coconut and serve at once.

A note about limes and lime juice:

My cousin, Laurie, has a bounty of limes this year in her yard at the beach.  After my visit with the goats I was lucky enough to bring home a big bag of them.  They were the inspiration for choosing this recipe.  They also inspired me to make a tart with lime curd.  If you love lemon curd (who doesn't?) you'll also love lime curd.  I have posted these recipes before so look for the subject on the right column or in the search at the top of the page.  Or follow the link

There are certain cook's tools that just make cooking easier---and more fun.  If you use a lot of limes for juice - Margaritas- lime sorbet- lime curd- then getting one of these juicers is a must

limes and fabulous W-S lime juicer

I can't help it.  Williams-Sonoma just has fabulous utensils for the home chef.  This one is green because it is for limes.  You might figure out that the lemon juicer is yellow and yes there is an orange one too.  Eventhough my Denver Granddaughters say I have everything there is to have in my kitchen I don't have a toaster or a toaster oven.  I don't even have a microwave.  I don't have a coffee maker although I could recommend a good one and I don't have a hand mixer.  But other than these items that most cooks have I do pretty much have everything.....and I LOVE it....especially my slow cooker.

cakes under glass

cakes under glass, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Here's the result: Lemon cake with Tiffany blue royal icing, lemon meringue buttercream frosting and lemon curd. These little cakelet pans are from Williams-Sonoma. Lots of fun!