Lemon is an evergreen fruit native to Asia and is used worldwide mainly for its juice, whereas pulp and zest finds their way into culinary use in kitchens. The origin of the lemon is a mystery, though it is thought that lemons first grew in southern India, northern Burma, and China. A study shows that it is a hybrid between sour orange and citron. The citric taste of lemon comes from citric acid in it.
Preserved lemons are a part of Moroccan cuisine. They are also one of the main ingredients in many Indian cuisines. Either lemon pickle or mango pickle is part of everyday lunches in southern India.
Lemon juice is also used as a short-term preservative in certain foods that tend to oxidise and turn brown after being sliced, such as apples, bananas and avocados.
Also lemon is a very good cleaning aid. Cut a lemon into half and dip in salt, use this to clean your copper utensils or artefacts. The acid dissolves the tarnish and the abrasives assist the cleaning.
Lemon is the base for our first recipe, Lemony Lamb Soup.
For the second recipe this week, the Horiatiki Salad, feta cheese is a key ingredient.
Feta is a type of Greek cheese traditionally made from sheep’s milk or a combination of sheep’s and goats’ milk. It is a white brined cheese with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. It is usually formed into large blocks, which are submerged in brine. Its flavour is tangy and salty, ranging from mild to sharp.
Horiatiki salad is one of the most popular salads of the world which one can find in almost all the restaurant menus and is popularly known as Greek Salad. To reduce the salty taste one can also keep it dipped in milk in refrigerator to make it mild and low on salt.
Lemony Lamb Soup
Ingredients
Lamb shanks 500g
Onion 1
Garlic 3-4 cloves
Tomato 1
Garbanzo beans 1 cup
Yoghurt 2 tbsp
Mint few leaves
Cardamom 2 pods
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Lemon juice 1 tsp.
Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and sauté chopped onions, garlic flakes, and cracked lamb shanks.
2. Cook till the lamb shanks are little brown this will give
a nice brown colour to the
soup.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and add plenty of water and bring to boil.
4. Simmer the flame and allow slow cooking until lamb is completely cooked.
5. You can also use a pressure cooker to speed up this process.
6. Adjust the seasoning and add yoghurt, bring to boil.
7. Add lemon juice and sprinkle black pepper to the soup.
8. Serve hot with lamb
cubes and lemon wedge on the skewer.
Tip: It is very important and essential for a good soup that the bones used to make the soup
must be cracked. This makes
the soup flavourful and nutritious.
Horiatiki Salad
Ingredients
For dressing
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Olive oil 1 tbsp
Mustard ½ tsp
Oregano few leaves
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Garlic 1 clove
Body of salad
Romaine lettuce ½ head
Tomato 1
Cucumber ½
Red onion ½
Bell pepper 1
Olives 10-12
Feta cheese 1/3 cup
Crostini bread 1-2 slices (or garlic bread slice)
Method
1. Combine all the ingredients of dressing in a bowl and whisk to make dressing.
2. Wash and keep the lettuce leaves soaked in ice cold water to make them crunchy.
3. Tear lettuce into bite size pieces. Cut onion into rings and keep it soaked in water to remove its sharpness.
4. Combine lettuce, diced cucumber, tomato and bell peppers and olives in a salad bowl.
5. Pour in the prepared dressing and toss gently.
6. Place the prepared salad on whole lettuce leaves in serving bowl and garnish with onion rings and crumbled feta cheese.
7. Serve with a crostini bread toast with feta spread.
Note: The golden rule to be kept in mind while making a perfect salad is to ensure the salad has the following four parts: base, salad body, dressing, and garnish. These parts can be altered or modified in a variety of ways depending on the creativity of the salad maker but these are very much essential to make a perfect salad.
**** The author is Executive Chef, Horizon Manor Hotel, Doha
Lemony Lamb Soup
