The Meyer lemon is a type of citrus fruit that is thought to have originated in China. It is a hybrid of a genuine lemon and either a mandarin orange or a regular orange. The agricultural explorer Frank Nicholas Meyer, who was working for the United States Department of Agriculture at the time, brought back a sample of the plant from China and brought it back to the United States in 1908. This was the year that it was first used commercially in the United States.
In China, the Meyer lemon is frequently cultivated as an ornamental tree in garden pots throughout the country. It was during the revolution in California cuisine that chefs rediscovered it, which led to its subsequent rise to popularity as a food item in the United States.
The fruit of a Meyer lemon is yellower and more spherical than the fruit of a regular lemon. The skin has a pleasant aroma and is very thin. When the fruit is ripe, the color is a deep yellow with a slight orange tint. The Lisbon and Eureka varieties of lemons are more commonly used in cooking, but Meyer lemons have a flavor that is more sweet and less acidic. The pulp is a dark yellow color, and each individual fruit may have up to ten seeds.
Lemons contain unique flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. They are a wonderful resource for vitamin C, which is one of the most vital anti-oxidants that can be found in nature.
Meyer lemons are typically available beginning in December or January and continuing through the month of May. Choose lemons that are heavy for their size and have peels that feature a fine-grained texture if you want to make lemonade. They should have a completely yellow coloration. Wrinkling, soft or hard patches, and a dull color are all indicators that a fruit has matured beyond its prime.
The websites www.wikipedia.org and www.whfoods.com were used as sources.
Image created by Debra Roby and made available under a Creative Commons license with attribution 2.0 generic.
Easy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette (Vegan Friendly)
Ingredients:
1 meyer lemon , zest of
2 tablespoons meyer lemon juice (approximately 1 large lemon)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt , to taste
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon low fat mayonnaise
½ teaspoon agave syrup
1 small garlic clove , finely minced
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 0 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Directions:
1. In a non-reactive bowl whisk the ingredients together until smooth.
2. Vinaigrettes taste better if they are prepared at least 1 hour in advance of serving.
Yield: 0.25 cup
Roasted Carrots and Parsnips With Meyer Lemons
Ingredients:
vegetable oil cooking spray
1 lb large carrot , peeled, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 lb large parsnip , peeled, cut diagonally into 1/8-inch-thick slices
20 large garlic cloves , peeled
1 meyer lemon , halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices, seeds removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ meyer lemon, juice of
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
½-1 teaspoon kosher salt
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Directions:
1. Spray two large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray. Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F.
2. Combine carrots, parsnips, garlic, lemon slices, and 2-3 tablespoons oil in large bowl.
3. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat evenly. Divide mixture between prepared sheets, spreading in single layer.
4. Roast vegetables 15 minutes. Stir vegetables on each pan and return to the oven reversing the order. (So the pan on the top finishes on the bottom and vise versa.) Roast until vegetables are tender and brown at edges, about 20-22 minutes longer.
5. Season with pepper and salt. Transfer vegetables to serving platter. Squeeze 1/2 lemon on the roasted vegetables. Garnish with parsley.
6. If desired, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Servings: 6
Meyer Lemon Chicken Piccata
Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) chicken breast halves , boneless and skinless (or 4 4-ounce breasts)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , divided
1/3; cup sauvignon blanc wine (or other crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio)
½ cup chicken broth , fat-free and lower sodium
1/3; cup fresh meyer lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
2 tablespoons capers , rinsed and drained
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley , chopped
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Directions:
1. Split chicken breast halves in half horizontally to form 4 cutlets. If using 4 ounce breasts, do not split but continue with recipe. Place each cutlet between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound each cutlet to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle cutlets evenly with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge cutlets in flour.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cutlets to pan, and sauté 2 minutes. Turn cutlets over; sauté for 1 minute. Remove the cutlets from pan. Repeat the procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 2 cutlets.
3. Add wine to pan and bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook for 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in chicken broth; bring to a boil. Cook until broth mixture is reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 4 minutes). Stir in juice and capers. Serve over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.
Servings: 4
Poached Egg With Salmon, Spinach & Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 ½ teaspoons meyer lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh meyer lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
4 fingerling potatoes , cooked and cut into bite size pieces
2 cups baby spinach
¾ cup shaved fennel
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
4 eggs
8 slices smoked salmon , paper-thin slices, rolled up (3 oz. total)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 mins
Total Time: 12 mins
Directions:
1. In abowl, whsk together the onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to make the dressing. Then toss with the potatoes, spinach, and fennel in a separate bowl.
2. Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer and add the vinegar.
3. Crack each egg into a small cup and add to the water one by one. Poach for one minute and 20 seconds. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon.
4. Set two salmon rolls on each plate, and top with the salad and a poached egg. Season with pepper to taste.
Servings: 4
Chicken Breasts With Meyer Lemons
Ingredients:
¼ cup fresh meyer lemon juice
1 garlic clove , finely chopped
6 boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
12 thin lemon slices , pitted
1 ½ cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons agave syrup
Prep Time: 1 hr 15 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins
Directions:
1. In a shallow glass or ceramic dish, stir together lemon juice and garlic.
2. Add chicken, turning to coat both sides with the mixture. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
4. In a medium bowl, stir together flour,salt and pepper.
5. Dip chicken sin seasoned flour to coat lightly.
6. In a large frying pan heat oil over medium heat.
7. Remove chicken from marinade; cook chicken until it browns lightly, turning once to brown both sides.
8. Arrange, skin side up, in a 13×9 inch glass or ceramic baking pan.
9. Sprinkle lemon zest over chicken, top each peice with 2 lemon slices.
10. Pour chicken broth into hot frying pan, stirring to scrape up any borwn bits.
11. Pour broth over chicken; add agave syrup on top.
12. Bake basting once with the broth, until the chicken is no longer pink and the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes.
13. Remove and discard lemon slices.
14. Spoon some of the pan juices over each breast; serve with lemon wedges, so lemon juice can be sprinkled on top as desired.
Servings: 6
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