Light and lemony – great for the warm air of spring
Lemon is the base of the following recipes; each of them is delicious in its own special way.
By ELIZABETH KURTZ, GOURMETKOSHERCOOKING.COMLemon bars 311(photo credit: whatscookingamerica.net)Lemon BarsIf you are of the “eat dessert first” mindset…the recipes for lemon bars are endless with minimal variations. The unifying factor is that they also taste so good.For crust:-2 cups flour-¼ cup sugar-1 cup (2 sticks) margarineFor filling:-2 cups sugar-1 teaspoon baking powder-4 tablespoons flour-3 eggs, lightly beaten-½ cup lemon juice-½ teaspoon grated lemon rind-Powdered sugar to sprinkle on topPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend together flour, sugar and margarine and pat into bottom of a greased 10 x 15-inch (jellyroll) pan. Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove to wire rack. Beat together filling ingredients in the order given. Pour over crust and bake for 15 to 20 minutes – until set. Cool, cut into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Lemon Stir-Fry ChickenLemon chicken-¼ cup soy sauce-½ cup water-2 tablespoons corn starch-1 cup lemon juice (fresh is always better but you can use bottled if necessary)-¼ cup sugar-3 tablespoons peanut oil-1 teaspoon minced garlic-2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips-2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal-½ cup snow peas-1 (4 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained-2 scallions, mincedWhisk together soy sauce, water, cornstarch, lemon juice and sugar; set aside. Heat oil in a work or large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté garlic for 1 minute. Add chicken and sauté until no longer pink – 5 to 8 minutes. Add carrots, snow peas and water chestnuts and continue to sauté until tender – about another 5 minutes. Stir in sauce and scallions and cook until sauce begins to bubble. Serve over rice.Lemony Couscous and Cashew Salad-2/3 cup olive oil-3 tablespoons lemon juice-1 teaspoon minced garlic-½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes-½ teaspoon salt-½ teaspoon sugar-½ teaspoon pepper-4 cups cooked couscous (about 1 box)-2 cups roasted cashews-4 scallions, choppedWhisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, chili pepper flakes, salt, sugar and pepper. Pour over couscous and mix well. Top with cashews and scallions. Variations: Almost any vegetable can be added to this salad – peppers, tomatoes, cooked sweet potatoes, baby corn, snow peas, bamboo shoots.For more great kosher recipes go to: www.gourmetkoshercooking.com
