#How to zest a lemon how to#
#How to zest a lemon skin#

Once you have enough zest for your recipe, be sure to wrap the remaining (now mostly naked!) fruit in plastic wrap or seal it in a tightly closed zipper bag вЂ“ itвЂ™ll dry out quickly otherwise.В ItвЂ™s best to use the juice within a few days вЂ“ so start brainstorming delicious recipe ideas now! The pith tastes like вЂ¦ ummmm вЂ¦ pith вЂ¦ which is sharply bitter and not at all delicious! Just skim that zester across lightly!Д«e sure to check under the zester вЂ“В there will be some perfectly delicious zest hiding there! Carefully scrape that out into your bowlВ вЂ“В donвЂ™t wash it down the drain! Now hereвЂ™s the most important part: DO NOT ZEST TOO DEEPLY! You want to get only the very thinnest layer of colored flesh but not the white pith right underneath. (Also, donвЂ™t forget to pause for just a moment and take a nice, deep breath of that gorgeous citrusy smell perfuming your home вЂ“ ahhhhhhhh!) Make sure you have a bowl or wax paper underneath to catch the zest. Seriously, guys вЂ“В be careful вЂ“В this unassuming little kitchen tool is a lot sharper than it looks! (Even fruit ninjas fear these things!) Just rub the fruit gently across the grooves, pushing against the sharp edges and away from the handle. Hold the fruit firmly, keeping your fingertips and knuckles far away from the sharp little notches on the zester. Another added bonus: we just toss ours right in the dishwasher, so cleanup is a snap!

#How to zest a lemon skin#

What is zesting Its removing the very outer layer of skin from a citrus fruit.

When grating citrus peel, use just the outer, colored potion. The zest contains most of its aromatic essential oils and is a lively flavor source.

#How to zest a lemon how to#

Just follow along with our instructions for zesting a lemon (without worrying about the pith!). How to Zest a Lemon: Well, this is not just about how to zest a lemon - you can zest any citrus fruit. When a recipe calls for orange or lemon zest, it means the thin, brightly colored outermost layer of the citrus fruitвЂ™s peel. TheyвЂ™re also handy for finely grating nutmeg, ginger, garlic, chocolate or hard cheeses like parmesan. Now you canВ buy a good zester pretty much anywhere that sells kitchen gadgets, for about $10-$15. These zesters were originally designed as woodworking rasps (whatever that is!), and some chefs used to buy them at hardware stores before they were available in kitchen stores вЂ“ no kidding! WeвЂ™re not big fans of buying loads of special-use, unnecessary kitchen gadgets, but a good zester is worth its weight in golden lemon peels.В It gets the job done perfectly and super fast! You can also use other kitchen tools like a vegetable peeler or a paring knife, though you won't get the fine shavings and it won't be as easy.If youвЂ™ve ever used a Microplane zester, then you know itвЂ™s not at all mysterious or difficult (and you probably can skip reading this, you old pro!).Д«ut for those of you who feel a little baffled when you see recipes that require zesting (like our decadently amazing Blueberry-White Chocolate Muffins or our Citrus Quinoa and Chickpea Salad), hereвЂ™s the quick-and-easy scoop:ДЇirst, consider investing in a Microplane zester. Be sure to turn the fruit constantly in all directions and use a light hand so you don't dig into the bitter pith (the white membrane). Using either of these, just hold the tool over your bowl or pot while lightly dragging the lemon across the blades in short strokes. Or you can use the smallest side of a box cheese grater. Place the fingered end of the zester at the top. The easiest way to zest a lemon is using a zester, also known as a microplane. Citrus Zester Position the lemon securely in one hand, with your thumb and forefinger circling its middle. If there's no actual lemon in the recipe, then go ahead and zest one and save the fruit for another use. Since most recipes - whether savory or sweet - call for a small amount, you can usually just use the rind of the fruit that's called for in your recipe.