The Zing of Zest

I never throw away the skin of a lemon, lime or orange without first pillaging its tangy zest, wherein lie the oils that offer us their fragrant essence. My thinking is that if I am using lemon juice somewhere, this somewhere will be even more sumptous with the extra jolt from the lemon's zest. So, in a vinaigrette for salad where lemon juice joins olive oil, in goes the grated zest of the very same lemon I am juicing. With some minced, fresh garlic, a dab of Dijon mustard, salt and pepper and perhaps a smattering of chopped fresh herbs, you are well on your way to wonderfulness. Or, when I roast cubes of butternut squash with a splash of orange juice, honey and olive oil, the addition of orange zest creates a brighter citrus effect, seductively floral and complex. This is a form of alchemy. A humble dish is transformed into a great one and you are transformed into a kitchen wizard.

If you do not own a Microplane zester grater, as seen above from www.cooking.com, do consider purchasing one. Not only does it make simple work of zesting citrus fruits, you will love the clouds of fluffy parmesan cheese it produces and the handsome heaps of freshly grated ginger that fall from its razor sharp miniature blades. It is also wonderful for grating chocolate into feathery light mounds, or for morphing the hard knob of a whole nutmeg into a mass of ethereal powder.  My grater is my single most favourite kitchen tool.

So, you have your zester and you are ready to rock and roll. Now what? Try your hand at this assertive and vividly coloured Carribean Black Bean Salad: Cook up some black beans or use some from a can, well rinsed. Dress the beans with the oil of your choice and generous amounts of fresh lime juice and lime zest. Add salt and pepper and fresh, minced garlic to taste. Grate in some fresh ginger for heat and bite. Toss in diced peppers in an assortment of colours, a diced jalapeno pepper or two, some purple Spanish onion, and lots of fresh, chopped cilantro. I love including kernals of cooked corn in this salad. You many want to season the salad with some cumin and chile powder for a Mexican touch.

If you are keen on this sunny theme, read on for books that will delight and inspire you. Lori Longbotham is probably the reigning queen of lemons and in her books you will find many reasons to give lemons a squeeze.

 Lemon zest : more than 175 recipes with a twist / by Longbotham, Lori.

 Luscious lemon desserts / by Longbotham, Lori.

 Cooking with lemons & limes / by Glover, Brian.