Best Lemon Food

BEST LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove ice glaze from frozen chicken breast by holding under lukewarm running water for approximately one minute.
• Place chicken in shallow dish in single layer.
• Combine lemon juice, olive oil, optional red pepper, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
• Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade and pour the remaining marinade over the chicken.
• Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Preheat grill to medium or preheat broiler.
• Place chicken on the grill or rack of broiler pan and baste with reserved marinade.
• Grill (or broil 4" from heat source) for 5 minutes.
• Baste chicken and grill for 3 minuted or until golden.
• Turn chicken, baste, and grill 6-8 minutes or until juices run clear when the thickest part of the chicken is pierced and temp on instant read thermometer reaches 170.

THE BEST LEMON CURD

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, stir together lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat together 3 eggs and 4 egg yolks. Whisk it very well.
• When the liquid on the stove is ready, slowly pour some of it into the bowl with the eggs, whisking constantly. I usually pour in about half, but you can do more or less. This is called tempering the eggs.
• Return the pot to the stove and add the rest of the eggs while stirring. If you don't stir you may curdle your eggs.
• Continue to whisk pretty constantly over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. When you drag your whisk over the top of the mixture, it should leave marks.
• Pour the curd through a mesh strainer into a new bowl (or the same one, washed). Unless you are an expert curd maker, you will probably have a few solid egg pieces in there, which is totally okay! Just strain them out.
• Stir the chopped butter into the lemon curd until it's completely melted. This is a good time for a large spoonful of hot lemon curd.
• Press a square of plastic wrap directly on top of the lemon curd. If you just cover the bowl, you will get a film on your curd.
• Refrigerate until cold, about 2-4 hours. It will thicken up some as it cools.
• Transfer to a tupperware. Keeps for 1-2 weeks.

BEST LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Shortbread Base:Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut butter into 1/2 inch pieces.
• In food processor, process all ingredients until mixture begins to form small lumps.
• Press mixture evenly into 9x13 baking pan.
• Bake in middle of oven until golden, about 20 minutes.
• While shortbread is baking, prepare topping.
• Topping: In bowl whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until combined well.
• Stir in lemon juice and flour.
• Pour lemon mixture over hot shortbread base.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake in middle of oven until set, about 30 minutes.
• Let cool completely in pan then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

THE BEST LEMON TART EVER

Steps:

• Combine butter, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer; mix ingredients thoroughly with a paddle attachment. Mix flour into butter mixture to make a smooth dough. Press dough into a 9-inch tart pan; refrigerate crust for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake crust until light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Whisk sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup flour in a bowl until smooth. Pour lemon filling into crust. Cover edges of crust with strips of aluminum foil to prevent burning.
• Bake tart until filling is set, about 20 minutes. Cool completely and dust with confectioners' sugar.