PRECIOUS LEMONS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 800, 19 November 1954, Page 32

PRECIOUS LEMONS

T is not only when influenza and colds are in nearly every home that lemons are in demand. They have scores of uses and are practically a necessity in housekeeping — like salt, or soap. It is possible, of course, to do without them, but living is much more comfortable when we have them! Lemon Juice This is rich in vitamin C, of which some should be taken every day. Ingwinter we depend on hot lemon drinks to comfort our colds, and in hot weather we want it for cooling and refreshing us. So it is best to preserve lemon juice in case we haven’t a lemon at the critical moment. (a) Uncooked: Strain pure uncooked juice into small sterilised bottles, nearly filling them. Fill remaining space with olive oil, which excludes the air, Cork. Keep in cool place. When needed, drain off oil with cotton wool. It is a good idea to add a few pips to each bottle. (b) Sterilised: Squeeze out lemon juice. Bring skins to boil in a little water, add to the strained juice. Add a little sugar-about 1 cup to 2 big bottles. Boil all for 10 minutes. Over- flow sterilised bottles, heated, and seal airtight. Dip corks and bottle tops in melted wax. Lemon Cheese (Good) Four eggs-beat just a little, 4 lemons (juice and grated rind), 1% lb. butter, 1 lb, sugar. Mix ali together and cook in double-boiler, or in a basin standing in a saucepan of boiling water. Keep stirring until it thickens. Keep in airtight jars. See that the water in outside saucepan is boiling all the time. Lemon Cheese (For Tartlets) One cup sugar, 4 lemons (grated rind and juice), 2 tablespoons butter, 2 eggs. Cook till thick in a double-boiler. Lemon Honey (No Eggs) Two large lemons (grated rind and juice), 1 tablespoon cornflour, 1 breakfast cup sugar, 2 oz. butter. Melt very slowly the sugar and butter with the lemons. When sugar is dissolved, add cornflour moistened with water. Remove from fire just while stirring in the cornflour, Then cook all very slowly till clear golden. Pumpkin Lemon Cheese Two pounds pumpkin, 5 or 6 lemons, \%, lb. butter, 2 Ib. sugar. Cook pumpkin,.

strain well, add juice and rind from the lemons, taking care that no white pith of the lemon rind is added. Then add huttar and

sugar. Mix in pan and boil in double saucepan '% hour. Lemon Honey Shortcake ; Beat a 1% cup of butter with 1% cup sugar until creamy. Add a beaten egg and beat again, Then add 2 cups of flour sifted with 2 teaspoons baking powder, and a pinch of »salt. Mix well, adding essence of lemon or almond, to taste. Pat out this shortcake flat, lining a deep plate, or meat-tin, with it. Spread with a generous layer of lemon cheese. Then place on top this mixture: 1 egg, 4% cup sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and 114 cups of desiccated coconut, all beaten together. Cook this shortcake in a medium. oven about % to 1 hour, Lemon Tart Filling One and a half cups of water, 114 cups sugar, piece of butter the size of an egg, 2 tablespoons cornflour, yolk of 1 egg, juice and grated rind of 1 lemon, Boil the water and the sugar, retaining a little of the water to mix the’ cornflour. Put in butter and cornflour, then the yolk of an egg (slightly beaten), and lastly lemon rind and juice. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring carefully. Have the tart or tarts already cooked (just a short crust is nice). Pour in the lemon filling, make a meringue with the white of. the egg, place on top, and put back into the cool oven until the meringue sets. Anti-rheumatism Drink Put a tablespoon of raisins to soak overnight in the juice of a lemon. Cover the: glass with a clean piece of paper. First thing next morning fill up the glass with hot water and sip the mixture. When the liquid is finished, chew the raisins slowly. This is not only good for rheumatism, but is also splendid for the skin and health generally. Lemon Butter for Fish Cream together 3 tablespoons of butter, 1% teaspoon of salt, a few grains of paprika, a tablespoon of finely-chopped fresh parsley, and 21% tablespoons of ‘lemon juice. PatNe on hot fish, or grilled steak. Lemon Chiffon Pie One tablespoon gelatine, 1 cup sugar, Y, cup lemon juice, 4 egg whites, 1% cup cold water, 4 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon

grated léthon rind, % teaspoon salt. | Soak gelatine in the cold water. Beat egg yolks till light and add. half the sugar, lemon juice and rind and beat. When very light, place on low heat, and cook, stirring until it is like custard. Add the gelatine and \dissolve it. Leave to cool. Add whites beaten stiff with the rest of the sugar. Pour into baked shell, leave to cool, and to set. Serve with a thin layer of whipped cream. If making orange chiffon pie, substitute % cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon orange rind. Lemon Chiffon Pie (No Oven) Crust: One cup crushed" wheatflakes, %4 cup sugar, % . teaspoon cinnamon, 4 cup melted butter. Mix all together and press into pie plate. Filling: One and a half teaspoons gelatine, 4% cup water-soaked together. Four eggs, % cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, 1 cup sugar, 14 teaspoon salt. Cook yolks and lemon juice, with rind, in double boiler, also with % the sugar. Cook till custard consistency. Stir in gelatine and water, let cool, stirring. Fold in beaten egg whités, and sugar, and pour into shell. | Leave 3 hours to set,