After finishing off a few beers last Friday evening, I wandered into the kitchen to make a start on the gin and tonics. It was meant to be a fleeting visit to the drinks shelf but when I looked amongst the fruit for a lime or lemon for my drink, I noticed we must've bought a small bag of unwaxed lemons as oppose to the usual lonely yellow chap rolling around the fridge waiting to die. As soon as I had cut one of the little lemons I became instantly sidetracked by the smell, I tend to do this when I have had a few drinks, I forgot what my main reason to come in the kitchen was and before I knew it I was turning to the fridge and the cupboards to see if they knew why I was there. Lemon curd takes just a few minutes to knock up, well about half an hour from start to finish, and fueled by gin I set about the kitchen with the thought of a lemon meringue pie the next day. Drinking gin along the way isn't for everybody though. You could find yourself sat in the corner clutching the whisk and crying. Mothers ruin - was it the gin, or secretly the lemon curd?LEMON CURD
grated zest and juice of 3 unwaxed lemons (more if you like)
100g caster sugar
2 large eggs and an extra yolk
75g butter diced
Place a heat-proof glass bowl over a pan of simmering water, make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water though) and chuck your lemon juice and zest, caster sugar and butter in. Stir occasionally until it has all melted down into a lemony liquor.
Pour in your beaten egg bit by bit and whisk slowly in the same direction for a few minutes. Leave the curd to thicken and stir now only occasionally. Once it becomes thick and has a good bit of resistance to the whisk, remove from the heat and leave to come to room temperature.
Now either spoon into sterilised jars and refrigerate or use in your lemon meringue pie like I did.
Haha nifty post there, is lemon curd that easy to make? Or are tears a necessary ingredient?
ReplyDeleteYeah very, very easy. Can knock it up well quick.
ReplyDeleteAs for the tears - if you need to let it all out then at least you have some lemon curd to show for it at the end of the evening and not just a wet tissue.
I love the book you are reading I bought it in Mexico City about 15 years ago. I am amazed that anyone else in Dorset has that book. I particulary love the way each recipie is headed with things like for 10 people from tabasco. Making it sound like you need to have 10 people from tabasco. I cook at a cafe called Cafe Boscanova and i do a fairly regular order for Mexican supplies. chipotles - tomatillos- achiote paste- hibiscous. I am about to order some ancho chillies and some casabels. Let me know if there is anything you would like to get hold of
ReplyDeleteYeah the book is one of my favourites. We spent a few months in Mexico a few years ago and have been back a few times too. I love the country and their food. I know Cafe Boscanova quite well, but haven't been in a while. I think It's high time I visited again. I was directed to a company in London by someone called coolchile.co.uk and they make authentic corn tortillas just like in Mexico and deliver next day mailorder which is cool. It would be good to talk food sometime and maybe take you up on getting hold of some tomatillos, etc.
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