Caramelize Lemon Immediately
We here at Skillet love to brown our food . Fry it deep and thoroughly. We also love to caramelize. And while onions and other alliums get the most attention when it comes to roasting and caramelizing, I would like to draw your attention to another product that is being transformed by the power of non-enzymatic roasting and caramelization: the humble lemon.
As an acid person, lemons are important to me. Aside from the obvious sour uses like lemonade, vinaigrettes, and tea, nearly all savory dishes are enhanced with freshly squeezed lemon juice. But today we are not talking about fresh lemon taste. Lemons in caramel are not fresh, but tasty.
Roasting a lemon in olive oil concentrates its existing flavors and creates new ones. The flesh melts and the water evaporates, leaving behind caramelized sugar, softened rind and lovely little brown pieces. Eating some caramelized lemon is a powerful experience. It is still quite tart and slightly bitter, but with small moments of roasted sweetness reminiscent of toffee.
Caramelized lemons can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Karolina Gehlen uses them to make caramelized lemon vinaigrette , but I sprinkled them on just about anything with wild energy. My favorites at the moment are Greek yogurt with lots of honey (tastes like gourmet lemon pie filling), every dish of rice and a bowl of creamy pasta. I think they would also be fabulous in a yogurt based sauce or with any roasted vegetable. Since caramelized lemons are very intense on their own, they are best paired with sugar, fat, or both. Use them as an accent for rich and sweet or rich and savory and get ready to fall in love.
caramelized lemons
Ingredients:
- Lemons, cut into 1/8 inch slices, seeds removed.
- Olive oil
In a large frying pan or skillet, add enough oil to just cover the bottom. (Don’t use cast iron, as cast iron doesn’t get along well with acid.) Set the heat to medium. Add the lemon slices in a single layer and fry, turning as needed, until all the pulp has dissolved and the slices are browned on both sides. The darker they are, the less tart they will be.
Transfer to a cutting board and cut into small pieces. Put small pieces on things and put them in things. I recommend starting with full fat yogurt and lots of honey. (Don’t try this with low-fat foods, you’ll hate yourself and lemons, and it’s not the lemons’ fault.)