With the lemons falling off the trees, here’s a way to use at least three of them
I CONSIDER myself lucky living in Cyprus – in terms of fresh produce and the abundance of herbs. Cutting a lemon from the lemon tree and some basil leaves from the bush bring such great aromas into the house. Lemons are wonderful this time of year. The zest is really strong and the juice has a real bite. If buying lemons, beware of the waxed ones. This is a favourite recipe of my daughter’s that was given a bit of glamour for TV purposes.
Lemon chicken on a bed of pesto mash topped with caramelised lemons
Serves 6
For the chicken
6 small chicken fillets in cubes
1kg small onions
5 tbsp of olive oil
3 fresh lemons juice and zest of one
3 extra lemons cut in thin slices
3 tbsp sugar
Salt and pepper
For the pesto mash
1.5kg or 8 medium-sized potatoes cut in small pieces
Drizzle of olive oil
2 tbsp pesto sauce
Seasoning
l For the caramelised lemons, dip slices in white sugar and coat both sides. Place on a hot, non-stick frying pan and cook on high, turning slices to cook on the other side as you see that the sugar has turned brown. Put aside until needed.
l For the lemon chicken, put four tablespoons of the olive oil and the onions in a saucepan. Cook on low with the lid on for about 20 minutes, giving the saucepan a shake now and again. The onions must be soft and turn a caramel colour. Transfer to a clean bowl.
l In the same saucepan, add the remaining olive oil and chicken pieces. Cook on high for about 5 minutes. Then add the lemon zest and give it a stir. Pour in the lemon juice, onions, own juice and cook on moderate for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened a little. Season with salt and pepper.
l In the mean time, in a clean saucepan cover the potatoes with enough water and cook on high for about 20 minutes or until soft and cooked through. Throw away the water and mash with the special tool whilst still hot. Drizzle olive oil and mix well to a nice creamy texture. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the pesto sauce.
l Serve steaming mash topped with lemon chicken, onions and caramelised lemon slices. Decorate with a sprig of basil.
Peach and fruit of the forest crisp
Serves 6
4 large ripe peaches, quartered and stoned
75g plain flour, plus 1 tbsp extra
3-4 tbsp Grand Marnier or any other orange-based liqueur
250g frozen fruits of the forest
50g fruit and nut muesli
50g light brown sugar
50g butter, softened
Mint leaves to decorate
l Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Mix together the peaches, 1 tbsp flour and the liqueur. Transfer to a large ovenproof baking dish and spoon the berries over the top.
l Work the remaining flour, light brown sugar, butter and muesli together to form a rough mixture. Scatter over the fresh fruit and bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until the buttery mixture is crisp and golden.
l Serve straight from the oven with a drizzle of fresh cream, vanilla ice cream or runny custard. Decorate with mint leaves.
