More Than A Twist Of Lemon

I awoke to a morning of solitude and a drawer full of extra large, juicy lemons. In the quiet, I began to prepare a welcome home, lemon themed feast for Doug. I like to think all the juicing and zesting of these bright colored fruits seduced the clouds overhead to relent. Now there is sunshine all around!

My Favorite Lemon Pudding
Sara Moulten

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar I substituted with Xylitol, 40% fewer calories and 75% fewer carbs
  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch Gluten free
  
• 2 1/2 cups milk I substituted with Almond Milk
  
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

Whisk the sugar and the cornstarch together in a medium saucepan. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Add the egg yolks, zest, and salt and cook, stirring frequently at first and constantly towards the end, over medium heat until thickened enough to thickly coat the back of a spoon.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and butter. Pour through a strainer into a large serving bowl or 4 individual serving dishes.

Let cool to room temperature. Chill, loosely covered, for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days, or until set and thoroughly chilled. Serve chilled.

Serving mine garnished with fresh strawberries, parfait style.

Lemon Spaghetti with Chicken and Asparagus
Inspired by Giada de Laurentiss

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti I used Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta gluten free
  
• 2/3 cup olive oil
  
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan I substituted Manchego (sheep) for the cow cheese
  
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves Fresh from my patio
  

Additions

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, poached in equal parts olive oil & lemon juice with garlic clove at 325 until done, about 40 min, diced. Here I used a split breast, took a third of the lemon olive mixture to cook the chicken in. After cooling, I strained it and used in for the sauce.
  
• Asparagus, roasted at 400 for 10 min, chopped.
  

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken and asparagus. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

This is equally as good with broccoli and shrimp. Leftovers are best served chilled the next day. Serving this with a simple of salad of radicchio and fig with a...lemon vinaigrette.

Lemon Rosemary Infused Olive Oil

Lemon peels from 1 lemon, without white pith
4 sprigs rosemary
1 cup olive oil

Warm the olive oil, 2 rosemary sprigs and half the peel over very low heat for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for half an hour. Place remaining rosemary and lemon peel into a stoppered bottle. Strain oil and pour into prepared bottle.

A homemade bread dipping sauce or marinade for poultry. Use to prepare salmon, green beans and asparagus for roasting. Drizzle in mashed potatoes, over hummus or as a finishing oil for Italian white bean soup.


Blueberry Limoncello Cooler
Giada De Laurentiss












A bottle of Limoncello. Top pitcher off with Pelligrino. Spruce up with blueberries (frozen blackberries are a great substitute) and torn mint. Wah lah.