Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
H O W T O C H O O S E: Choose fruits that are heaviest for their size and have
the strongest perfume. With Meyer lemons, look for fruit with a baby-soft, thin peel. With
West Indian (Key) limes, remember that the yellower they are, the riper.
HOW T O STORE : Lemons and limes should be stored at room temperature.
Chilling will cause them to spoil more rapidly.
HOW T O P R E PARE : If you want lemon or lime zest and don't have a zester,
use a sharp, thin-bladed paring knife to cut away just the colored part of the peel, leaving
behind as much of the bitter pith as you can. Lay the peel cut side up on a cutting board,
press the knife blade flat against it and slice away any traces of pith. Then you can cut the
zest into thin strips.
ONE SIMPLE DISH : You can make a simple sauce for pasta by simmering
heavy cream and lemon zest, then adding a little minced fresh parsley and maybe some
pine nuts just before serving. Remember that the sauce should only lightly coat the pasta,
not puddle in the bottom of the bowl.
Lemon and Pistachio Panna Cotta
This recipe is adapted from Los Angeles pastry chef Nancy Silverton's justly cel-
ebrated version made with bitter almonds. You can serve this as is or with sugared
fruit such as strawberries.
4 SERVINGS
