Ingredients

• olive oil, 80 ml/ 2.7 fl oz
• onion, 1 large chopped
• fennel seeds, a good pinch
• chicken thighs, 8
• white wine, 200ml/ 6.8 fl oz (Vermentino is the local grape)
• fresh herbs, 2 tbsp roughly chopped – sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary and a few whole sprigs
• pine nuts, 25g/1oz
• zest of 1 lemon
• olives, 60g/ 2.5oz preferably Taggiasca, the local Ligurian cultivar
• sea salt and freshly milled pepper

Preparation

1. Pour a good glug of olive oil into a good-sized pan. Sauté the onion in the oil until it is translucent and then add the garlic and fennel seeds being careful not to let them catch.
2. Next, in a separate pan, heat a little olive oil and sear the chicken all over until it is golden brown. Then add the chicken to the onion pan.
3. Next add the wine and cook letting the wine evaporate a little.
4. Add the herbs, zest of the lemon, olives, pine nuts and salt and pepper and cover and cook on a low heat for 40 minutes.
5. When the chicken is cooked add the fresh juice of the lemon and serve with a small jug of freshly squeezed lemon juice on the side for those who like it extra tangy.

Nudo

Ingredients

• 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose)
• 1 package (2 1/4 tsp., 1/4 oz., 7g) yeast
• 3/4 c. sugar (divided)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. warm milk
• 6 tbsp. butter
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• zest of 2 lemons
• 2 tbsp. poppy seeds
• juice of 2 lemons + 1 tbsp.
• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp. milk

Preparation

Grease and flour a 10-cup bundt or tube pan. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, yeast, 1/4 c. of the sugar, and salt.

In a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan, heat the milk and butter to 120 to 130°F. Stir the liquid together well before taking the temperature, and for best results, use a digital read thermometer. The liquid should feel hotter than lukewarm, but not so hot that it is uncomfortable or burns.

Add the milk mixture to the flour and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, all purpose flour, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon zest, and poppy seeds. Beat on high for 2 minutes.

Spread the dough/batter evenly into the prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour. Towards the end of the cake’s rising time, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bake the cake for 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

While the cake is baking, make the lemon soak: Place the juice of your two lemons and the other 1/2 c. sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Let stand at room temperature while the cake bakes. Once the cake is turned out of the pan, pour half of the soak all over the outside of the warm cake, let absorb for 30 seconds, then pour the remaining half over.

To prepare glaze: whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk in a small bowl, until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and serve.

Red Star Yeast

Ingredients

• 500 g dried linguine
• 3 lemons (zest and juice)
• 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 100 g. parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Cook the linguine according to the instructions on the packet - in a generous amount of boiling, salted water. Drain and return to the saucepan. Mix the lemon juice and zest with the olive oil, then stir in the parmesan so that it becomes creamy. Season and add more lemon to taste. Add the lemon pasta sauce to the linguine shaking the pan to coat each strand. Garnish with some herbs to suit yourself.

Nudo

Ingredients

For Cake

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons citrus zest (any type)
• 1/4 cup fresh citrus juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For Glaze

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh citrus juice

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously butter and flour an 8½ by 4¼-inch loaf pan. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Pour the sugar into another medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a Microplane to grate 2 teaspoons zest from your fresh citrus fruits and add it to the bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar takes on the color and fragrance of the citrus.

In a liquid measuring cup, measure out ¾ cup yogurt and squeeze in about ¼ cup citrus juice to yield 1 cup total liquid. Whisk the yogurt and juice, eggs and vanilla into the sugar mixture until well blended.

Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, just until incorporated. Switch to a spatula and fold in the oil, making sure it’s all incorporated. The batter will be shiny. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.

Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden and the sides start to pull away from the sides of the pan; a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife between the cake and the sides of the pan to loosen. Unmold the cake by placing a large plate upside down over the loaf pan and carefully turning them over. Carefully flip the cake back over and let it cool to room temperature.

To make the glaze: Measure the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in just enough blood orange juice to make a thick glaze that drizzles easily off your whisk when lifted. Drizzle the glaze back and forth over the cake. The glaze will need about 15 minutes to set, then it’s ready to slice and serve.

Cookie and Kate

Ingredients

• 3 cups vanilla cookie crumbs
• ¾ cup melted butter
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 rounded tsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 9 extra large egg yolks
• ⅓ cup sugar
• Two 10 ounce cans of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup lemon juice
• zest of 2 lemons finely minced

Preparation

Grease a 10 inch deep dish pie plate or line the bottom of a 10 inch spring-form pan and lightly grease the sides. Mix together the cookie crumbs and butter. Press into the bottom and sides of the pie plate or to about ¾ of the height of a spring form pan if you are using one. Bake for 10 minutes at 325 degrees F. Set aside to cool. Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla to soft peaks and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment in place, add the egg yolks and ⅓ cup sugar. Whisk at high speed until light, foamy and pale yellow in color, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the sweetened condensed milk lemon zest and lemon juice. Gently fold in the previously whipped cream. Pour into the prepared pie crust. Freeze overnight. Garnish with whipped cream, additional Nilla cookies and lemon zest before serving.

Barry Parsons

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 slice white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 5 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp. lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
• ¼ c. chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Trim outer leaves of cauliflower and cut stem flush with bottom of head. Turn head so stem is facing down and cut head into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Cut around core to remove florets; discard core. Cut large florets into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer florets to bowl, including any small pieces that may have been created during trimming, and set aside.

2. Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Heat bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon oil, pinch salt, and pinch pepper in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until bread crumbs are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer crumbs to bowl and wipe out skillet.

3. Combine 2 tablespoons oil and cauliflower florets in now-empty skillet and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover skillet and cook over medium-high heat until florets start to brown and edges just start to become translucent (do not lift lid), about 5 minutes.

4. Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring every 2 minutes, until florets turn golden brown in many spots, about 12 minutes.

5. Push cauliflower to edges of skillet. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, and lemon zest to center and cook, stirring with rubber spatula, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into cauliflower and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender but still firm, about 3 minutes longer.

6. Remove skillet from heat and stir in parsley. Transfer cauliflower to serving platter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

CI

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 2 oz. hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and cooled
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 5 oz. animal crackers
• 3 tbsp. melted warm butter

For the filling:

• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• ¼ c. lemon juice
• 1¼ c. sugar
• 1 lb. cream cheese, cut into rough 1-inch chunks at room temp.
• 4 eggs, room temp.
• 8 oz. mild goat cheese, room temp.
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ c. heavy cream

For the lemon curd:

• ⅓ c. lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ c. sugar
• 2 tbsp. butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
• 1 tbsp. heavy cream
• ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch salt

Preparation

1. FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. In food processor, process hazelnuts with 3 tablespoons sugar until finely ground and mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 30 seconds. Add Nabisco Animal Crackers or Social Tea Biscuits and process until mixture is finely and evenly ground, about 30 seconds. Add warm melted butter in slow, steady stream while pulsing; pulse until mixture is evenly moistened and resembles wet sand, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to 9-inch springform pan; using bottom of ramekin or dry measuring cup, press firmly and evenly into pan bottom, keeping sides as clean as possible. Bake until fragrant and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 30 minutes. When cool, wrap outside of pan with two 18-inch square pieces heavy-duty foil; set springform pan in roasting pan.

2. FOR THE FILLING: While crust is cooling, process 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in food processor until sugar is yellow and zest is broken down, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl if necessary. Transfer lemon sugar to small bowl; stir in remaining 1 cup sugar.

3. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and goat cheese on low to break up and soften slightly, about 5 seconds. With machine running, add sugar mixture in slow steady stream; increase speed to medium and continue to beat until mixture is creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low and add eggs 2 at a time; beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping sides and bottom of bowl well after each addition. Add lemon juice and vanilla and mix until just incorporated, about 5 seconds; add heavy cream and mix until just incorporated, about 5 seconds longer. Give batter final scrape, stir with rubber spatula, and pour into prepared springform pan; fill roasting pan with enough hot tap water to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until center jiggles slightly, sides just start to puff, surface is no longer shiny, and instant-read thermometer inserted in center of cake registers 150 degrees, 55 to 60 minutes. Turn off oven and prop open oven door with potholder or wooden spoon handle; allow cake to cool in water bath in oven for 1 hour. Transfer springform pan without foil to wire rack; run small paring knife around inside edge of pan to loosen sides of cake and cool cake to room temperature, about 2 hours.

4. FOR THE LEMON CURD: While cheesecake bakes, heat lemon juice in small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Whisk eggs and yolk in medium nonreactive bowl; gradually whisk in sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot lemon juice into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer and is thick enough to cling to spoon, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in cold butter until incorporated; stir in cream, vanilla, and salt, then pour curd through fine-mesh strainer into small nonreactive bowl. Cover surface of curd directly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until needed.

5. TO FINISH THE CAKE: When cheesecake is cool, scrape lemon curd onto cheesecake still in springform pan; using offset icing spatula, spread curd evenly over top of cheesecake. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. To serve, remove sides of springform pan and cut cake into wedges. (If desired, to remove cheesecake from springform pan bottom, slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving plate.)

CI

Ingredients

• 1 c. milk
• ½ c. heavy cream
• 3 tbsp. lemon zest plus ½ cup juice (3 lemons)
• 1 c. sugar
• ¼ c. all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ⅛ tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, separated, plus 2 egg whites
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Bring milk and cream to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove pan from heat, whisk in lemon zest, cover pan, and let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fold dish towel in half and place in bottom of large roasting pan. Place six 6-ounce ramekins on top of towel and set aside pan.

2. Strain milk mixture through fine-mesh strainer into bowl, pressing on lemon zest to extract liquid; discard lemon zest. Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in second bowl until combined. Add egg yolks, vanilla, lemon juice, and milk mixture and whisk until combined. (Batter will have consistency of milk.)

3. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and whip until glossy, soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Whisk one-quarter of whites into batter to lighten. With rubber spatula, gently fold in remaining whites until no clumps or streaks remain. Ladle batter into ramekins (ramekins should be nearly full). Pour enough cold water into pan to come one-third of way up sides of ramekins. Bake until cake is set and pale golden brown and pudding layer registers 172 to 175 degrees at center, 50 to 55 minutes.

5. Remove pan from oven and let ramekins stand in water bath for 10 minutes. Transfer ramekins to wire rack and let cool completely. Serve.

CI

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 6 oz. cold unsalted butter, cut in 1/2-inch pieces

Filling:

• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup flour

Preparation

Crust: Preheat oven to 325. Mix flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter until pea-sized. Mixture will be very dry. Gently press in bottom of 13-by-9 inch pan. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and reduce oven to 300.

Filling: Whisk together eggs and sugar until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and then flour. Pour filling on crust and bake until set, about 40 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into 21/4 inch squares. Dust with powdered sugar. Makes 24.

Ingredients

• ¾ oz. dry gin
• ¾ oz. Cointreau
• ¾ oz. Cocchi Americano
• ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
• Scant teaspoon absinthe

Preparation

Chill a coupe glass, and evenly coat the inside with absinthe. Shake remaining ingredients with ice. Strain into coupe.

The New York Times