These springtime lemons are of a variety (Real) that produces enormous fruits with thick skin and pith and juice that is not very acidic, though not quite sweet. Known in Málaga as cascarúo, they are traditionally sold by street vendors, peeled, quartered, and sprinkled with salt, to be eaten out of hand. They also can be chopped up into a gazpacho in place of tomatoes.
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| This tangy mix of lemons and radishes can be served as a salad or relish. |
I picked the few remaining lemons on my tree, which is now in full, fragrant blossom. I cut up a large lemon to put into a kind of salad called mojete, adding radishes from the garden, and served it as a relish to accompany lamb roasted on a fire pit for my son Ben’s birthday bash. Tangy and crunchy, the lemon salad was perfect with pieces of succulent lamb stuffed in pita pockets.
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| A whole lamb roasted on a fire pit with relishes to go with. From right to left, Mourad's spicy cilantro sauce with harissa; the mojete of lemons and radish; cucumber-yogurt tzatziki; Nick's chili oil; harissa; and garlicky slaw with pomegranate. Not pictured, zeilouk, a cumin-y Moroccan eggplant salad, and hummus plus pita pockets. |
Lemon Dunking Salad
Mojete de Limones Cascarúos
If using a cascarúo lemon, leave some of the white pith. It is not bitter. If substituting ordinary lemons, which are considerably more acidic than the cascarúos, add a teaspoon of honey or sugar to tame the tang. Serve the salad on lettuce accompanied by bread for dunking or as a relish to accompany roast meat or fish.
Serves 4 as a starter or 10 as relish
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| Cascarúo lemon |
1-2 large lemons
6-8 small radishes
½ carrot
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
Chopped parsley
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Lettuce (optional)
Bread to accompany
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| Garden radishes |
Peel the lemon, slice it, and remove any seeds. Chop the lemon and place in a bowl with juice. Quarter and slice the radishes and add to the lemon. Cut the carrot in slivers and add to the lemon with the scallions and parsley. Stir in the oil and salt. Mix well. Allow the salad to stand 30 minutes before serving. If serving as individual salads, place lettuce on plates and divide salad between them.
To make gazpacho with lemons, called zoque de limón, use this recipe for Peasant Gazpacho with No Tomatoes. Substitute chopped lemons for the cucumbers and add a teaspoon of pimentón (paprika).
The recipe for garlicky cabbage with caraway, croutons, and pomegranate can be found in my newest cookbook, Flavors of al-Andalus (see below for where to order), or see the blog post here. The slaw goes great with grilled foods.
Here's a bonus recipe for lemons, from my book, Cooking from the Heart of Spain, Food of La Mancha (2006, WilliamMorrow, NY):
Lemon Salad with Shrimp
Moje de Limones
In Alcázar de San Juan, a town right in the middle of La Mancha, this salad is served as a lunchtime dish on fiesta days. It’s served in a big bowl with lots of bread for dipping into the tangy juices, a sort of dunking salad. The traditional lemon salad does not contain shrimp—that was my idea.
Serves 4.
3 medium lemons
½ cup chopped scallion
½ cup pitted black olives, halved
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ pound peeled small shrimp
Lettuce or other salad greens for serving
Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish
Slice off both ends of the lemons. Set a lemon on end on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slice down, removing both peel and pith in one cut. Turn the lemon and continue peeling it in this manner. Slice the lemon crosswise and discard any seeds. Chop the lemon. Repeat with the remaining 2 lemons. Put the chopped lemon in a bowl. Add the scallion, olives, salt, and eggs to the lemon. Stir in the oil. Let the salad stand for 1 hour.
Cook the shrimp in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Line salad plates with lettuce leaves or other greens. Spoon the lemon mixture on top. Scatter the shrimp over the lemon. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
More recipes with lemons:
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| Me and the birthday boy, with lamb ready to serve to guests. (For more about roasting the lamb, see last year's birthday post here.) |
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