lemon

Asian Spiced Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Lemon

Asian Spiced Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Lemon
Prep time: 10
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 T rice vinegar
  • 2 t low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 t dark sesame oil
  • 1 t dark brown sugar
  • 1 t hot chile sauce (such as sriracha)
  • 8 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed, thinly sliced on the bias
  • 1 pn coarse sea salt, to taste
  • 1 pn shichimi-togarashi, or standard chile powder, to taste
  • 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

Directions

In a small jar mix the rice vinegar, soy sauce, dark sesame oil, brown sugar and hot chile sauce. Put on the lid and shake well. Place the sliced peas in a serving bowl, pour the dressing over them. Toss well. Season with salt and shichimi-togarashi, to taste. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.

Hot Toddy

There is no denying we are in the depths of winter. You know, the dreaded “cold and flu” season. Even here in California, the night air is getting nippier, the days a bit shorter, and more than one person in my life is miserable and sniffly.

Gone are lazy afternoons drifting into sultry evenings– sipping tall glasses of iced tea, lemonade, or even frosty margaritas. Cool weather sees us choosing steamy mugs of coffee, hot tea, hot chocolate, and dare I say–  hot toddies? 

I want you to know that the hot toddy is more than just a beverage with a funny name. You probably associate it with ski lodges. Hot toddies and ski lodges are indeed a good combination. But more likely, when winter rolls around, you consider the hot toddy as the original nighttime sniffling sneezing coughing aching stuffy head fever so you can rest medicine. Of course, I don’t know how much actual medical science is behind that theory, but I’ll admit a hot toddy can even make the flu seem more fun.

Basically a hot toddy is made with a spirit (typically some sort of whiskey) sweetened  with honey, and balanced with fresh lemon juice. This combination is then warmed with a dose of tea, coffee, apple cider, or just plain hot water.

My favorite version is made with honey, lemon, black tea, and bourbon. But rum and brandy are good choices too. Simple enough, right?

Sippity Sup Continues »

Hot Toddy

Hot Toddy
Prep time: 5
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 2 c water
  • 2 T honey
  • 2 shots bourbon
  • 2 t lemon juice
  • 2 bags black tea
  • 2 cinnamon sticks (optional)
  • 2 pn cloves, to taste (optional)
  • 2 lemon wedges (optional)

Directions

Bring the water to a boil in a kettle. Drizzle half the honey onto the bottom of each of 2 very large mugs. Then add half the bourbon and lemon juice to each mug. Once the water reaches near boiling, but not quite, place one teabag in each mug and fill them nearly full with the hot water. Garnish with any combination of whole cloves, cinnamon stick, and/or lemon wedge.

Broccolini with Fried Lemon

Broccolini with fried lemon zest
Prep time: 15
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb broccolini
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 pn salt, plus more for boiling
  • 1 lemon

Directions

Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook Broccolini until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and plunge into the ice-water bath. Drain again, then dry well. Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet set over medium-high heat. Cut the lemon in half. Use one half to make long thin strips of lemon zest, then juice that half into a small bowl. Slice the other half into wedges for garnish. Add the lemon zest to the hot oil. It should sizzle and fry, but not get brown, about 15 seconds. Add the Broccolini, lemon juice and a pinch of salt (optional). Cooked until just warmed through and tender crisp. Transfer to a platter or bowl garnished with lemon wedges.

Thin-Crusted Apple Tart with Chipotle Chili Powder

Apple Tart with Chipotle Chili
Prep time: 5
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 flour
  • 0.5 t plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 0.5 c unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes and chilled
  • 4 T ice water
  • 1 lemon, juice only
  • 4 apples, preferably gravenstein
  • 3 T melted butter
  • 3 T sugar
  • 1 t ground cinnamon
  • 0.125 t ground clove
  • 0.125 t ground nutmeg
  • 0.125 t chipotle chili powder
  • 3 T warm hot pepper jelly

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour with one-half teaspoon salt. Add the chilled butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or fork to work the butter into the flour, forming an even crumb. Work quickly so the butter stays cold. Drizzle over 3 tablespoons of ice water and mix quickly with a fork, careful not to overmix. The dough may not come together completely; this is fine. However, if the dough feels especially dry, drizzle over up to 1 additional tablespoon of ice water. Place the dough in the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap. Pull the edges of the plastic wrap around the dough, pressing the dough into a disk. Seal tightly and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. While the dough is chilling, fill a medium bowl half full with water and add the lemon juice. Peel the apples and halve them lengthwise. Core the apples with a sharp knife or melon baller and trim the ends. Place the apples in the acidulated water as they are peeled and trimmed so they do not brown. Cut the apples lengthwise into very thin (one-sixteenth inch) slices, and return to the water. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle your work surface generously with flour. Roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle; the dough will be about one-eighth-inch thick. Carefully transfer to a nonstick, rimmed baking pan. Turn up the outer edge of the circle of dough to form a one-half-inch rim. Use the tines of a fork to press the rim into place and to prick the tart in several places. Drain the apples, shaking them vigorously to remove excess water. Set the apples out on a dish towel to dry. Arrange a circle of overlapping apple slices at the far edge of the dough. Add a second circle inside the first and a third inside the second. Finish with a small circle of apples in the center. You may not use all the apples. Using a pastry brush, coat the apples and outer rim of the dough with the 3 tablespoons of melted butter. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, chipotle chili powder and remaining one-eighth teaspoon of salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples. Bake the tart until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Set the tart on a serving plate and gently brush the top of it with the warm pepper jelly. Cut the tart into wedges and serve immediately.
Source: Adapted from Michele Anna Jordan