Tip: Five Ways to Use Naked Lemons

We use a lot of lemon zest. In fact, it’s a safe bet that at any given time there are two or three naked lemons lurking about the kitchen. We stick them in plastic bags or containers and put them in the fridge, but we are always looking for ways to use up these denuded lemons. Here are five favorite ways to use the inside as well as the outside of a lemon.

Lemon zest goes into so many things! Salads, chicken in milk, pasta, cakes, frosting, pudding, oatmeal – we put a little lemon zest in so many of our dishes! So once you’ve Microplaned all that pretty zest off a lemon, what do you do with what’s left?

• 1. Roast with a chicken – Stick half a naked lemon in a chicken and roast it.

• 2. Toss with a salad – Squeeze the lemons for juice and make a tangy vinaigrette without vinegar.

• 3. Make lemonade – Fresh lemonade is so good in the springtime (and summer too of course). Make up just a glass or two; here’s a recipe straight from Sara Kate’s childhood lemonade stand.

• 4. Hang a slice on your drink – It won’t look as pretty without the rind, but who cares? Slice up zested lemons for squeezing into your hot tea, iced tea, water, or other cold or hot beverage of choice. This is probably the most frequent way we use up our naked lemons.

• 5. Squeeze and freeze – If you’re really motivated, it’s also a great idea to squeeze your lemons and

freeze the juice in ice cube trays

Do you have any favorite ways to use up nude lemons?

Related:

Good Question: What To Do With This Bag of Lemons?

(Image: Faith Durand)