Cookery Corner

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 148, 8 June 1935, Page 10

Cookery Corner

THE VALUE OF LEMONS

At this season lemons and oranges are particularly beneficial to bodily well-being. In all citrus fruits there is an abundance of those wonderfully potent substances called vitamins, including one which helps the body to resist disease germs. There are qjso certain acids, of which citric acid is the most important. These are most valuable in the vital activities of body cells and in the removal of the waste products in the nutritive processes. The acids in citrus fruits form a compound in the body, which increases the alkalinity of the blood; diminution of this alkalinity gives rise to many types of illhealth. Lemons also contain matter of direct food value—carbon compounds and various necessary salts, phosphates, potash, iron, lime sodium, sulphur, etc. A very important point is that all these salts and vitamins are present in lemons in a form which is easily made use of in the body.

Lemon Hints. If a lemon is placed in the oven for a few minutes or plunged into hot water, nearly double the quantity of juice will be obtained. Lemons that have become dry can be made soft and full of juice by placing them in a saucepan of hot water (not boiling), leaving it at the back of the stove for two hours. Wipe the lemons and leave them until they are quite cold before using.

Lemon rubbed over chicken or white meat will not only improve the flavour but keep it a good colour. Lemon juice is a corrective to all rich fare. The peel brightens sauce or stuffing; sliced it is an attractive garnish. Lemon sauce is excellent with fish, end is also a suitable accompaniment to a plain suet pudding. Storing Lemons.

First pick the fruit with great care so that it is not at all bruised. Having gathered them wash the fruit tor a little while with equal care in a solution made by dissolving }oz. of bluestone in about 15 gallons of water. After washing, dry them in the sun or by hand, and then set them out well-spaced so that none touch, on wooden racks or wire trays arranged in tiers so that the air can flow all round them. Choose a cool but dry and airy room, keeping the room always cool. Pick the fruit over now and then and discard any showing signs of rottenness. Lemons picked just before they are quite ripe keep best and longest.

Preserving Lemon Juice. Extract the juice from the lemons, care being taken not to bruise the peel, which would allow the oil to mix with the juice, making it slightly bitter. Sweeten or not, as desired. If sweetened a proportion of sugar gener-

ally preferred is slightly below the equal weight of that of juice. Cook the sugar with a little water until it forms a thick clear syrup and then mix it with the cold lemon juice. The juice may be made clear by fdtering it. Pour fho" juice into elean bottles filling to within half an inch of the top, cork firmly and stand the bottle in a stand in a preserving pan. Bring the water to simmering point and keep at this temperature for 35 minutes. Remove the bottles and stand them on a folded wet cloth until cold. Lemon Butter. Take 3 eggs, half a cup of lemon juice, 2 tablespoonfuls of butter, 11b. of sugar and the grated rind of a lemon. Melt the butter in an enamel

double saucepan, add the sugar, stir well. Add the well-beaten eggs and the lemon juice. Boil the mixture, stirring all the while, and allowing it to cook for a quarter of an hour. Pour i-ki_woll-dried jars and cover. Lemon Fluff Pie. Take 3 eggs, a quarter of a cup of lemon juice, the grated rind of a lemon, 3 tablespoons of hot water, one cup of sugar and a pinch of salt. Beat the egg yolks well, add the lemon rind and juice, hot water, salt and half the sugar. Cook in a double boiler until thick. Beat the egg whites to a stiff froth, add the sugar and beat well and fold into the cooked mixture. Pour into a baked pie crust and cook in a moderate oven until brown. Lemon Pudding Take 1 cup of sugar, add 1 tablespoonful of butter, and beat well. Add 2 beaten egg-yolks and the grated rind and juice of a lemon. Stir in 2 tablespoonfuls of plain flour, then one cup of milk, and lastly the stiffly beaten egg-whites. Put into a piedish, stand in another dish of water, and bake in a moderate oven for 40 minutes. Very good either hot or cold. • Lemon Sponge. Take joz. powdered gelatine, 4oz. castor sugar, i pint water, 2 lemons, 2 egg-whites. Disolve the sugar and gelatine in the water with the rind of the lemons cut very thin. Leave on low heat, without boiling for five minutes, then strain, and add the lemon juice and cool. When cold add the stifflybeaten egg whites and whisk till spongy. Pile in a glass dish and leave to set. Serve with custard or cream. Lemon Custard.

Two cups of sugar, rind and juice of a lemon, 1 dessertspoon butter, 1$ tablespoons cornflour, 2 cups water, 1 egg. Put the water, sugar, rind, lemon juice and butter into a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Then pour carefully onto the blended cornflour. Return to the saucepan and stir over heat till clear and thick, stirring all the time. Allow to become almost , cold then add the well-beaten egg. Lemon Souffle. Place in a basin, over hot water, on the fire, 2 yolks of eggs. 2oz. butter, 1J oz. castor sugar, and the grated rind of half a lemon and strain juice of one lemon. Stir continually until it becomes a very thick cream, but it must not boil. Remove from the fire, whisk the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, fold this carefully into the cooked mixture, put into a buttered souffle case, and bake in a moderate oven.