The Mighty Candied Lemon Puckers Up

You guys, I'm very attached to one kitchen appliance and it's beginning to affect my relationship with the other appliances. Blenda the Good Witch, my sparkly red Cuisinart prepper who has made appearances in such lunch columns as Giardiniera-naise and Bacon Cream Cheese, has quickly become more than another homegirl. I've never had such a close companion in this journey through that sacred period of 11:30-ish to practically almost 3 (omg so hungry!) that we call lunchtime.

So naturally, I'm (we are) blending new things into classic things, and today that involves candied lemons. Here's a recipe, courtesy of Paul the Taco Meat/Secret Burger Sauce Guy.

Easiest Candied Lemons, Ever

Makes "a bunch of" candied lemons

  • 2 lemons, sliced thinly with a V-slicer or mandolin
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  1. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small pot, then reduce to a simmer.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, then drop the lemons in, lower heat to a simmer and cook for one minute. Fish out the lemons using a slotted spoon or spider and transfer to the pot with the sugar syrup.
  3. Simmer the lemons in the syrup for about 20 minutes or until the rind is soft enough to bite into easily.
  4. Cool on a wax paper-lined baking sheet for at least 30 minutes, then do what you will with them.

Here is what I will do with them:

Sweet lemon oil

Blend a cup of good-quality olive oil with a slice of candied lemon. Nice on a salty seafood pasta. Also nice on ice cream. Go ahead, name something else that's good on both.

Candied lemon mayo

Blend a cup of mayo with a slice of candied lemon...maybe even two. This goes on all meat sandwiches. All of them. Alternately, screw the mayo and just add a few slices into your sandwich, straight-up.

Poultry stuffing

I hear the rustlings of a food media world about to pounce on Thanksgiving any day now. IS IT TIME YET!? No, not yet. Soon though. And when it is, roughly chopped candied lemons in any kind of bread or rice-based stuffing adds a really nice subtle acidic note where there is often just sausage. And liver. And butter. Mmm, stuffing.

Roast chicken aesthetics

Here's a cool party trick that works with candied lemons or oranges: secure a bunch of candied citrus slices over the surface of your about-to-be-roasted chicken using toothpicks. Roast as planned, then enjoy the best chicken skin this side of the deep-fryer.

And a word to the wise: having a very sharp, brand-new and impressively powerful food processor as a best pal not only makes your cat jealous as hell, it makes people start to question your "big picture" motives.

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