The Fried Lemon Zest Recipes

PAN-FRIED LEMON POTATOES

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover with cold water. Add the garlic, rosemary sprigs and lemon half to the water and season well with salt. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain well and immediately cut the potatoes into halves. Place on a plate to allow the steam to escape. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to make the seasoning salt, mix together the lemon zest, chopped rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers when it swirls in the skillet. Add the potatoes cut-side down to the skillet. Do not overcrowd the skillet. This may be done in 2 batches. Cook until the bottom of the potatoes are a deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a metal spatula, flip the potatoes and cook on the second side for an additional 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and drain well. Sprinkle with the seasoning salt and serve warm.

LEMON ZEST

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan bring water and sugar to a boil.
• Add grated lemon rind and continue to boil for about 5 minutes or until it becomes like syrup.
• Place in a small bottle or other container and refrigerate. It keeps up to 3 weeks.

LEMON CAPER DEVILED EGGS

Steps:

• Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. With a ladle, slowly lower the eggs into the water, one by one. Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain. When they are cool enough to handle, peel the eggs.
• Slice each egg in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them in a food processor. Arrange the whites, cut-side up, on a serving platter. Blitz the egg yolks by themselves for about 10 seconds. To the yolks, add the mayo, mustard, capers, salt, pepper, garlic and lemon zest. Process until well blended and smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.
• Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag, then use scissors to snip off the tip of one of the bottom corners to form a small hole. Pipe the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites or store the egg whites and yolk mixture separately in the fridge until ready to fill and serve, one to two days. Garnish the filled eggs with paprika and parsley and serve immediately.

SUGARED LEMON ZEST

Steps:

• Using a paring knife, remove zest from lemons in wide strips. Trim away white pith from underside of zest. Slice zest into 1/4- to 1/8-inch-thick strips, each about 2 inches long.
• Place zest in a saucepan, and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and then strain, reserving zest. Repeat boiling and straining two more times.
• Return zest to pan, and add granulated sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until zest is almost translucent, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain, gently shaking zest to remove as much syrup as possible.
• Place sanding sugar in a medium bowl. Toss zest in sugar to coat. Shake off excess sugar, and carefully transfer zest to a wire rack to dry for 5 minutes. Shake off any remaining excess sugar, and continue to dry on rack for 25 minutes more.

STIR-FRIED SPINACH WITH GARLIC AND LEMON ZEST

Steps:

• Carefully rinse the spinach in several changes of water.
• Discard the tough stems and any damaged leaves, drain briefly in a colander, shaking off excess water.
• Over medium-high heat, in a deep sauté pan or wok, combine the olive oil, lemon zest and garlic.
• After about 30 seconds, the garlic should begin to sizzle; immediately stir in the damp spinach and using tongs or 2 wooden spoons, toss and stir quickly until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer the spinach to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper.
• Serve at once.

PAN-FRIED STRIPED BASS WITH LEMON SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce, whisk together: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Taste for salt and lemon juice and adjust as desired. The sauce will separate as it sits; this is not a problem.
• Season: 4 pieces striped bass, skin on (4 to 6 ounces each) with: Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Choose a heavy-bottomed pan for frying the fish. Take another, slightly smaller pan that will fit into the pan for the fish, and wrap its bottom with foil. This pan will be used as a weight to hold the fish flat against the frying pan to ensure that all of the skin will cook and crisp. (You will see the fish contract when it goes into the hot pan, as the skin shrinks on contact with the heat.) Warm the larger pan over medium-high heat. When hot, pour in: Olive oil, enough to generously coat the bottom.
• Add the pieces of bass, skin side down, and place the foil-wrapped pan on top of the fish. Cook until the skin is brown and crispy, about 7 minutes. Check now and then to see that the fish is indeed browning, but not overbrowning. Adjust the heat up or down to speed up or slow down the cooking as needed. When the skin is browned, remove the top pan and turn the fish. Cook for another minute or so, until the fish is just cooked through, but is still moist and tender inside. Meanwhile whisk the lemon sauce together again and pour it onto a warm plate. Serve the fish skin side up, on top of the sauce.
• Garnish the fish with a couple spoonfuls of chopped tender herbs such as parsley, chives, chervil, cilantro, or basil.
• Soak, rinse, and squeeze dry a tablespoon or so of capers. When the fish is cooked add the capers to the hot pan and sauté for a minute or two. Remove with a slotted spoon and scatter over the fish.
• Make a Beurre Blanc (Warm Butter Sauce; page 228) instead of the olive oil sauce.

THE FRIED LEMON ZEST

Steps:

• Finely shred the lemon zest. In a small saucepan, barely cover the zest with cold water and bring to a simmer. Quickly drain the zest and dry on absorbent paper towels.
• Over a lively flame in a small saucepan, warm the olive oil and sauté the zest, tossing it about, letting it crisp a bit and take on a good, deep color.