I'm a sucker for anything lemon, especially this time of year, when it's so dark and gray. Lemon's bright, mouth-puckering taste is a refreshing dose of sunshine, and I positively crave it in January. But lemon combined with smooth olive oil is perhaps the most enticing combination of all.

I have a serious thing for this Lemon Olive Oil Cake — I even served it at my wedding! There's just something about the combination of olive oil's smooth, mellow richness and lemon's tart brightness.

This Lemon Curd Tart with Olive Oil has the same appeal, and it has a great pedigree, too. It's from Nice, France, and the kitchen of Rosa Jackson — you may remember her from this cooking class (such delicious duck magret!). Rosa blends the mellow olive oil of southern France with the region's extra-juicy lemons, and the result is this creamy lemon tart with a nutty crust. (There is olive oil in both the crust and the filling.)

Are you craving lemons right now too? I made lemon bars last night, but this lemon curd tart is the next thing on my list!

• Get the recipe: Lemon Curd Tart with Olive Oil at Gourmet

More lemon refreshment for winter evenings:
• Recipe: Lemon Garlic Chicken
• Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Loaf from Leite's Culinaria
• Recipe: Lemon Rice Pudding
• Recipe: Lemon Frittata with Leeks and Goat Cheese
• Quick and Easy Recipe: Lemon Pepper Pasta with Capers

(Image: John Kernick/Gourmet)