Marthas Lemon Confit Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a medium stockpot of water to a boil. Place a 1-quart canning jar in the boiling water for 5 minutes to sterilize. Place jar on a wire rack, upside down, to dry.
• Pour a layer of salt into the bottom of the jar. Quarter a lemon, starting at the end, but leaving the uncut end intact. Open the lemon over a small bowl, and pour some salt inside. Place the lemon in the bottom of the jar. Continue process with the remaining lemons. Be sure to use all of the salt, including any salt that remains in the bowl. Pack the lemons into the jar, and covering each layer of lemons with salt. Seal the jar, and refrigerate.
• The lemons can be used after 1 month, but they are best after 3 months and will keep for up to one year.
• To use the confit, cut the lemon quarters apart. Cut away all the flesh from the rind; discard the flesh. Dice or julienne, and add to salads, stews, or grain dishes.

Steps:

• Roasted-Garlic Butter: Mash together butter, garlic confit, and lemon zest. Season with salt. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 3 months. (Makes 1/2 cup.)
• Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until slightly less than al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat garlic with oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high until just golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, transferring each slice to a plate when browned. Add pepper flakes and tomatoes to skillet; cook until tomatoes soften a bit, about 3 minutes.
• Add wine and bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add clam juice and return to a boil. Add clams, cover, and cook 20 seconds. Uncover and cook, removing clams to a large bowl as they open, 3 to 4 minutes. Discard unopened clams.
• Add pasta, parsley, 1/2 cup pasta water, and 3 tablespoons garlic butter to skillet (reserve remaining garlic butter for another use). Cook, stirring, until pasta is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese and stir, adding more pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Pour over clams; toss to combine. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with garlic slices and more cheese and parsley; serve.

Steps:

• Bring a medium stockpot of water to a boil. Place a 1-quart canning jar in the boiling water for 5 minutes to sterilize. Place jar on a wire rack, upside down, to dry.
• Pour a layer of salt into the bottom of the jar. Quarter a lemon, starting at the end, but leaving the uncut end intact. Open the lemon over a small bowl, and pour some salt inside. Place the lemon in the bottom of the jar. Continue process with the remaining lemons. Be sure to use all of the salt, including any salt that remains in the bowl. Pack the lemons into the jar and covering each layer of lemons with salt. Seal the jar, and refrigerate.
• The lemons can be used after 1 month, but they are best after 3 months and will keep for up to one year.
• To use the confit, cut the lemon quarters apart. Cut away all the flesh from the rind; discard the flesh. Blanch for about 1 minute in boiling water, dice or julienne, and add to salads, stews, or grain dishes.

Steps:

• Slice lemons 1/8-inch thick. Layer half the lemons slices and shallots in a pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of salt. Repeat layering process with remaining ingredients. Cover the pan with plastic wrap making sure the plastic touches the top layer of lemons. Leave the pan overnight or up to 48 hours. Rinse the lemon slices and use as you would preserved lemons. Keep refrigerated up to a week.

Steps:

• Place the lemons, 2 to 3 tablespoons salt, peppercorns, and lemon juice in a quart jar and cover with water. Store chilled for 3 weeks.

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil over medium heat. Cut each lemon in half, and scrape out pulp. Roughly chop the pulp; set aside. Julienne the lemon peel to a 1/4-inch thickness. Place the lemon peel in the saucepan. Simmer about 10 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water.
• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, and 1/2 cup water. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Cook until the sugar has completely dissolved. Break cinnamon sticks into pieces. Add cinnamon, peppercorns, lemon peel, and pulp to honey mixture. Cook about 25 minutes more, until the lemon peel is very tender and liquid is slightly caramelized. Transfer from heat. Serve, or store in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with rack in lower third of oven. Sift flour and 1/2 cup sugar into a bowl.
• Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Add lemon zest and juice, cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt; continue whisking until soft peaks form, about 2 1/2 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add remaining cup sugar.
• Increase speed to medium-high; continue whisking until firm, not stiff, peaks form, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle whites with 1/3 of the flour-sugar mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold to combine. Sprinkle remaining flour-sugar mixture over whites in 2 additions; gently fold to combine.
• Transfer batter to a 10-inch angel food cake pan with legs. Gently run a knife through the center of the batter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven, and invert onto its cooling legs (if your tube pan doesn't have legs, invert it over the neck of a wine, or similarly shaped, bottle to cool); let cool, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Run a knife around the inner and outer edges of cake to remove. Invert onto a serving platter. (Use a knife to separate cake from bottom of pan.) Let cool on a wire rack. Unfrosted cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Make the lemon cream: Prepare an ice-water bath. Whisk lemon juice, sugar, flour, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; whisk constantly for 1 minute, until it thickens. Transfer to a heatproof bowl set in ice-water bath to cool completely, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk cream and lemon zest with a mixer on medium speed until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gently fold whipped cream into juice mixture in thirds. Refrigerate lemon cream, up to overnight.
• Make the candied lemon-peel flowers: Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, peel 3 lemons to create 6 long strips (at least 5 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide). Remove pith from strips using a paring knife. Cut tops and bottoms off remaining 3 lemons; cut each in half lengthwise. Remove flesh. Cut out 6 flowers from the peels using a 2-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter and remove pith; cut indentations into petals for definition. Punch a hole in the center of each flower using a 1/4-inch plain round piping tip.
• Add lemon-peel strips and flowers to the syrup. Gently simmer until translucent and tender, about 35 minutes. Remove peels from syrup using a slotted spoon, and transfer to a wire rack set over a parchment. Let dry slightly, about 30 minutes.
• Trim strips to 5-inch lengths, and roll each to form centers of flowers; fit into flower holes and let stand on wire rack until slightly dry but still sticky, about 30 minutes.
• Frost cake with lemon cream. Garnish with candied flowers. Serve.

Steps:

• Sift sugar, cornstarch, and salt into a medium saucepan. Gradually blend in 1/2 cup cold water and lemon juice. Place saucepan over medium-low heat, and whisk until smooth. Add egg yolks and 2 tablespoons butter, and blend thoroughly. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened, and add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Continue stirring until mixture reaches desired thickness, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and stir in lemon peel; rub surface lightly with 1 tablespoon butter to prevent a skin from forming. Can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Steps:

• Cut peppers into thin strips. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots, and cook until they begin to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add red peppers, wine, salt, and pepper. Cover, and cook until wine is almost absorbed, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove lemon zest in long thin strips, and set aside. Use a small, sharp knife to cut away pith. Remove lemon sections by sliding the knife down one side of a section, cutting it away from the white membrane. Twist blade under section to lift it out. Remove all sections, cut them in half, and add to peppers along with zest. Toss to combine, and serve.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the peas. Cook peas until bright green and tender, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer the peas with a slotted spoon to an ice-water bath; let cool. Drain well.
• Blend 1 cup peas, 1/4 cup stock, and 2 tablespoons herbs in a blender until smooth. Blend in up to 1/4 cup more stock to thin to a pourable consistency.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic; cook, stirring, until shallot is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups peas, the confit, nuts, remaining 3/4 cup stock, the pea puree, and remaining 2 tablespoons herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Discard garlic. Stir in lemon juice.