I’ve always been a big fan of fruit desserts. I like chocolate, but if there is a chocolate dessert and a fruit dessert in front of me, nine times out of ten I’ll go for the fruit dessert. I’m reserving that tenth time for when there is a chocolate WITH fruit option. And, it’s a very safe bet that if lemon bars are offered, I’m going to eat one every time. But until yesterday, I had never made a lemon bar in my life.
As I mentioned yesterday, we celebrated Easter on May 5. Unfortunately, I couldn’t come up with a super creative way to combine Greek and Mexican food, so I opted to stick with traditional Easter foods—ham, asparagus and potatoes {those recipes coming later this week!}. For dessert, nothing screams spring to me more than lemon. I think it’s pretty clear we have a serious love for all things lemon from our lemon mint sorbet, lemon risotto, tarte au citron and lemon curd recipes {see also: my spring header above!}.
With a toddler running around, I was looking for a not-so-fussy recipe that didn’t call for any ingredients I didn’t already have on hand. Thank goodness for the Barefoot Contessa!
While this recipe may seem pretty daunting because it involves a custard, it was one of the easiest desserts I’ve ever put together, despite the baking, cooling and baking process. The lemon flavor absolutely shines in these bars. The confectioner’s sugar on top adds a nice touch of sweetness to balance out the tartness of the lemon. And the texture, when eaten directly out of the pan or after chilling for a few hours, is smooth and creamy. Overall, a delicious spring dessert that I am ashamed it took me so long to make.
by The Splattered Apron
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Keywords: bake dessert lemon bar
For the crust
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup flour
- pinch kosher salt
For the filling
- 3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoons grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup flour
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for the crust.
Whisk together the flour and salt.
When the butter and sugar is blended smoothly, add the flour mixture until just combined.
Turn out into a well-floured surface and shape into a ball as best you can.
Transfer the dough to an 8×8 glass pan. Press the dough flat into the pan at an even thickness, building up a half inch edge on all sides.
Chill for 5-10 minutes.
Bake for 15-20 minutes and cool on a wire rack. Do not turn off the oven.
While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour.
Pour the filling on top of the crust and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the filling is set.
Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into 24 triangles and dust with confectioner’s sugar.
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Enjoy!
Recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
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As much as I love, and I mean, LOVE, creamy dressings and sauces, I rarely prepare them at home. To me, it’s not worth the extra calories. So when I come up with a recipe that accomplishes the creaminess that I’m after with only a fraction of the calories, I do a little happy dance. And then I make the recipe over and over and over again.
My absolute favorite breakfast sandwich is smoked salmon with cream cheese, red onion, tomato and capers on a poppy seed bagel. My goal was to take the flavors of that breakfast and turn it into an entrée salad without using a large block of cream cheese.
Mission accomplished.
by The Splattered Apron
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Israeli couscous {I box, prepared according to package}
- 2.5 oz. goat cheese {about a quarter of a small log}
- 1 cup 0% Greek yogurt
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- Salt and pepper
- 1/8 cup chives, snipped
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 8-10 grape tomatoes, quartered {add as many or as few as you’d like}
- 4 oz. wild sockeye smoked salmon
Prepare the couscous as directed by the package; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, goat cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, chives, parsley, salt and pepper.
Flake or chop the salmon into bite size pieces. Add the salmon, tomatoes and couscous to the yogurt dressing. Stir well to combine. Serve immediately.
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I like to serve this warm, but it can also be served cold.
The tanginess of the goat cheese and the lemon give this salad a great brightness. The combination of Greek yogurt and goat cheese achieves the creaminess I was after without being heavy. The smoked salmon provides a bit of richness and I just love being able to walk out to my garden to grab any herbs I want. In this case, parsley and chives. I added tomatoes for a bit more texture on top of the chewiness of the Israeli couscous.
This would be a great dish to bring to a potluck. Just don’t expect to have any leftovers to take home.
Enjoy!
If there is one thing we love in this house, it’s risotto. If there’s another thing we love in this house, it would be lemon. Why it took me so long to put the two together, I have no idea.
While flipping through a copy of Food Network Magazine at my parents’ house, I discovered a method of cooking risotto that takes it from an occasional fancy treat to an easy weeknight meal. It can also be the perfect one pot meal. Do you need another reason to try this recipe?
by The Splattered Apron
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Keywords: entree side lemon risotto Italian spring
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large shallots, chopped
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame, {I used frozen that I thawed first, but fresh would work just as well}
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- kosher salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add the rice. Cook and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
Next, add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until it is completely absorbed.
Add the water and all of the broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
Cover and place the put in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes.
Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the butter, edamame, parmesan, lemon zest, tarragon, salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.
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While this was good, I think that subbing asparagus for edamame would make it great.
I absolutely love this cooking method too—it practically guarantees creamy risotto without the need to stand over a hot stove and stir a pot continuously for upwards of 45 minutes.
Lemon zest could easily be one of my most favorite ingredients. A little bit goes a long way to develop flavor.
As a main dish or a side, this is a winner. I could see it pairing very nicely with a simply grilled or poached salmon.
It makes me smile to think that two of the main flavors in this dish come from ingredients grown right in my backyard: lemon and tarragon.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Real Simple.
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by Lisa on April 26, 2012
Out of nowhere, I started received Food & Wine’s daily recipe e-mails. I don’t often take the time to unsubscribe from e-mail lists, I just delete them as they come in. Unsubscribing would make things easier, but then I could miss out on a gem like this recipe. My husband is a huge fan of merguez sausage, so when I see recipes that include it I always give them a try. Traditionally merguez sausage is made with lamb. I was intrigued when I saw buffalo and pork merguez at the farmer’s market, so that’s what I used.
The original recipe called for rice, but I prefer the texture of Israeli couscous. Have you tried it before? It’s one of my favorite ingredients for quick and easy dishes. Once you make this dish, I’m sure it will be one of yours too.
Note: I happened to find preserved lemons on the olive bar at Whole Foods, but you can also get them at specialty food stores.
by The Splattered Apron
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Keywords: salad entree side Mediterranean
- 1 1/3 cup Israeli couscous {prepared according to package}
- salt
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 preserved lemon, rind only, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon harissa
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 fennel bulb, cored and sliced
- 1/3 cup pitted Picholine olives, chopped (2 ounces)
- 1 pound merguez sausage, sliced long, cut in half, then cut in 1/2-3/4 inch chunks
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
In a saucepan, prepare the couscous as directed. Fluff and set aside in a large bowl.
While the couscous cooks, prepare the dressing. In a bowl, whisk all but 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, lemon juice, preserved lemon, garlic, harissa and cumin. Combine the dressing with the couscous and mix well. Add the olives, fennel and season lightly with salt.
In a skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil. Add the sausage and cook over medium high heat until browned, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage to a plate lined with a paper towel. Allow it to drain briefly, then add it to the couscous along with the tomatoes and parsley.
Toss to combine and serve.
This can be prepared ahead and served at room temperature.
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When you make a recipe from Food & Wine, you expect it to be good. You don’t expect it to be this good.
This could work as a side dish, as a light dinner or lunch.
All of the flavors meld together beautifully. The harissa and merguez give it a spicy smokiness while the fennel, lemon and tomato cool it down a bit.
This has found a place in my permanent recipe collection. I’ll never skip the F&W Daily Recipe e-mail again.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Food & Wine.
by Lisa on April 13, 2012
Jeromy and I are big fans of lemons, especially the ones that come off of our lemon tree. We try to use them only in recipes that really show off their incredible flavor. So far this year I’ve used them for lemon curd and I made this tart for Easter. I tried to share this recipe with you last year, but Dixie got in the way. This time, I wasn’t going to let her stop me.
Ordinarily I would make the pie crust but I was pressed for time and used a prepared crust from the freezer at Whole Foods. If you have time, I highly recommend making the crust yourself.
by The Splattered Apron
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Keywords: bake dessert lemon tart
- 1 pie crust {using this recipecut in half} or store bought
- 6 eggs
- 200 ml heavy cream
- grated zest and juice of 4 large lemons
- 250 grams of sugar
- lemon twist for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, beat the eggs.
Then add the cream, lemon juice and zest and sugar.
Stir until smooth then pour into the prepared pie crust.
Bake until set, about 35-40 minutes.
Let the tart cool for 20 minutes. Garnish with lemon twist and confectioner’s sugar, if you’d like.
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I’ve made this tart several times and this is the first time that it has turned out as smooth as mousse. I loved it!
The tartness and sweetness of our Meyer lemons really shine through in this recipe.
Because it’s a lemon dessert, a little bit goes along way.
I had to give most of this away to neighbors to keep Jeromy and I from continuing to eat it every night.
Enjoy!
Recipe from Classic Home Cooking.
