Meyer Lemon Confit

For the last few weeks, I’ve been playing around with some Meyer lemons.  When working, I had very minimal exposure to this fruit.  The only thing I distinctly recall using them for was a Meyer Lemon Hollandaise, which was served with a crab cake eggs benedict.  The only reason why I remember this is because I had to make gallons of different types of Hollandaise sauce that day, it was Mother’s Day, or as it should be called, The-Busiest-and-Most-Nightmarish-Day-of-the-Year-for-Restaurants (I have yet to meet a cook or chef who enjoys working Mother’s Day brunch).  Needless to say, we went through a LOT of sauce that day, and I whisked it all by hand in a gargantuan stainless steel bowl that was larger than me, haha.  Both my arms were ready to fall off afterwards.  Good times.  

Anyways,  rant aside, I have found Meyer lemons to be incredibly lovely .  They have a very distinct flavor.  They are less acidic than regular lemons, with an orangey nuance.  They can go well with both sweet and savory dishes.  They wouldn’t work as a straight up substitute for lemons however.  It would really depend on the dish.  The zest, for instance, is quite strong and can be more overwhelming than regular lemon zest if too much is used.

Meyer lemons are native to China, and are believed to be a hybrid between regular lemons and mandarin oranges.  And believe me, you have to taste one to see how good they are.  Just the smell from these are amazing.  Even the tender rind is quite palatable and the pith doesn’t have the same bitterness of a regular lemon (assuming you get a good quality meyer lemon, I did see some sketchy ones).  Color can range from pale yellow to pale orange.  The more orange-colored ones are the best to pick, as they are far more developed in aroma and flavor.  Size can vary too:  the first batch of meyer lemons I bought were huge, larger than average lemons.  The second batch were half the size of the first, lime-like.  

Regular lemon versus Meyer lemon

One of the things I tried to do with Meyer lemons was to pickle them.  But since they are already sour, I ended up using far more sugar than vinegar to counteract the acidity.  The whole process ended up being a combination of candying and a slight pickling.  I guess it could be considered almost a preserve, or a confit of fruit.  I think it might go well with seafood or a non-traditional sorbet (lemon verbena or lemon thyme perhaps?  Maybe with some crêpes or something-ruther…).  There will be experimentation in the next few weeks, no doubt.

This recipe is incredibly easy, it would be even better if Meyer lemons were easier to find!

MEYER LEMON CONFIT
makes about 1 1/2 cups

MISE EN PLACE

1)  3 ea small Meyer lemons, 2 if large
–>  Wash lemons.  Cut the ends off each, enough to see the flesh inside.  Discard ends, and cut lemon lengthwise in half.  Slice each half into thin slices, about 1/4″ thick.  Remove any seeds.

2)  for the syrup:
3/4 C sugar
1 C water
1 1/2 tsp white or golden balsamic vinegar
4 sprigs of thyme 
–>  Combine all in a small pot.  Heat to dissolve sugar.

DIRECTIONS

Add lemons to syrup over medium heat.  Simmer gently until rinds begin to look translucent, about 5-10 minutes.  Cool.  Cover and store in refrigerator.

TIP:  This can also be done with other citrus fruit, or even supremed segments of citrus, if one dislikes rind and pith.

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