A Better Use for a Bag of Lemons
Three simple preparations that make lemons easier to use before they are forgotten.
Lemons are often purchased with excessive optimism. One is needed; a bag seems economical. The unused fruit waits until its skin hardens and the original plan becomes difficult to remember.
Three preparations make abundance easier to manage.
Salted lemon paste
Remove the seeds, chop whole lemons, and blend them with enough salt to create a sharp, spoonable paste. A small amount can wake up beans, roasted vegetables, dressings, or yogurt. Because the peel is included, the flavor is deeper and more bitter than juice alone.
Frozen juice portions
Juice several lemons and freeze the liquid in small portions. This is not glamorous, but it is useful. The portions can go directly into a pan sauce, soup, or glass of sparkling water. Freeze some finely grated zest separately, before juicing, when the peel is at its best.
Lemon and herb dressing
Combine juice, olive oil, mustard, salt, and any soft herbs that need using. Make it stronger than a salad dressing seems to require. It can serve as a sauce for grains, potatoes, roasted chicken, or vegetables, where the other ingredients will soften it.
The goal is not preservation for its own sake. It is reducing the distance between owning an ingredient and actually using it. A lemon hidden in a drawer requires a plan. A jar or frozen portion requires only a spoon.