The Lemon Cookbook: 50 Sweet & Savory Recipes to Brighten Every Meal

by Ellen Jackson

Lemons add a fresh, tangy burst of flavor to both sweet and savory dishes and have a way of making all the other ingredients in a dish shine. From savory meals like Meyer Lemon Risotto with Dungeness Crab Tarragon, and Créme Fraîche, to sweet treats like Lemon Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Lemon Verbena and Blackberries, here are delicious recipes featuring the bright flavor of lemons. Inexpensive, easy to find, and simple to cook with, they’re also good for you, containing a hit of vitamin C. What’s not to love?

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Culinary

144 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2015

About the author

I am a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer, with roots in food and words. After taking my liberal arts degree in English for a 6-year test drive in New York (in the world of commercial book publishing), I left the city for cooking school in Vermont. As a graduate of New England Culinary Institute, I relocated to Portland, Oregon and went on to spend 12 years as a pastry chef in some of the best kitchens in the city. When my feet got tired and my back began to ache, I turned in my rolling pin for a different sort of career in food.

I've carved a niche for myself writing about food and drink, because eating and imbibing are enjoyable ways to pass time and are topics about which I think I'm well-qualified to speak! I am continually inspired and informed by my experiences, past and present, in the local food scene. In addition to an intimate understanding of regional food products, growers, suppliers and organizations dedicated to the celebration of all things food, I am passionate about the importance of cooking and eating seasonally, of embracing sustainability and protecting local and global biodiversity. As a longtime member of Chefs Collaborative and Slow Food, and a Portland Farmers Market board member, I hope to share my zeal and make a difference.

Reviews

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can I do all these recipes? Maybe if I tried hard enough. But there's enough that I could try and would love to attempt that are simple enough.

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not the most motivated cook in the world, but this book made me want to run out and buy lemons.

My dad is the main chef in my house, which means he cooks for eight kids and two adults every night. My dad likes to experiment with spices and food combinations. My mom is always on us about eating healthier, which we do for the most part, but it can be hard to find a meal that all of us like. Everyone in my family likes lemons, so this was a great book to add to our cookbooks!

[Sharon Huether · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thankyou Goodreads for choosing me to receive this Free book. It's a beautiful collection of receipes with color pictures all about lemons, from candy to main dishes. I learned the best way to cut a lemon to get the most juice out of it.

[Anne Fabing · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry, can't recommend cookbooks with practically no pictures. A cookbook should be visually mouthwatering.

[Jen Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impressed with the simplicity of some of the recipes and awed by a few hard ones. Already tried one and it was delicious!

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

My lemon tree has been producing fruit for 5 months now, and I've been in constant search of ways to use this bounty, so the arrival of this book was quite timely. It's a slim volume, just 125 pages in a small 7"x8" format, printed on thick high quality paper and interspersed with 22 beautiful full color photographs. Color is also incorporated into sketches and sidebars on almost every page, making this a pleasant reading experience.

The carefully curated selection of 50 recipes will definitely help to consume my lemon crop in future years. I've tried several of the recipes so far and have bookmarked others for future use. The lemon crinkle cookies were so easy and are simply delectable - buttery and soft and lemony. I had to put them in the freezer to keep from over-indulging! The grilled flank steak with lemon chimichurri was also a great combination of salty and tangy. And as soon as our local farmer's market opens, I will be visiting to get corn on the cob, to make "grilled corn on the cob with smoked paprika-lemon butter".

The book is prefaced with basic information on selecting and using lemons, including how to zest, juice and preserve a lemon. Included are chapters on breakfasts, salads, sides, vegetarian, seafood, meat and poultry, sweets, drinks and staples. Others have noted that the book will not lay flat due to its small format; however I've solved that problem by resting a lemon on the pages ! The recipes are clear and easy to follow, and appear to have been thoroughly tested.

I look forward to diving further into this cookbook and trying many more of the recipes. Fortunately, even after the last lemon is plucked from my backyard lemon tree, I will still have juice and zest in the freezer, and weekly visits to the farmer's market to keep the fresh lemons flowing...

[San Diego Book Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lemon lovers rejoice in a cookbook showcasing the versatile and humble lemon. Just like the fruit, there is sweet and sour to be found within. Ellen Jackson’s The Lemon Cookbook is filled with many recipes that are delectable. However the sour comes from the layout of the book, which leaves a sour taste in ones mouth, as it can be both confusing and frustrating to navigate. The ingredients are listed on the right hand side of the instructions, and sometimes span multiple pages, making it easy to over look an ingredient or section of ingredients all together. The recipes themselves are not for beginners. While there are a few that are simple, there are many that utilize techniques or cooking utensils, not found in every beginning cook’s arsenal. The directions are separated into segments, not steps, with each segment sometimes containing multiple steps within. Read the entire review at http://www.sandiegobookreview.com/the...

Reviewed by Elizabeth Lasker

[Sheree Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never had a cookbook where I wanted to try every recipe! This is a beautiful book with lots of helpful information in both cooking with and consuming lemons. The recipes are concise. Uncommon ingredients even have info as to where to find them, although there aren't many. Thereby making these recipes very doable with plenty of on hand ingredients. The tips on how to select, prepare, and store the various lemon ingredients are great. I, also, enjoyed the design elements and pictures. The recipes and instructions are easy to understand and follow, even for young cooks.

Per FTC rules, I received this book free via Goodreads.com.

[Zivile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

Are you a lemon fan? Then this book is just right for you. Basically, thanks to this book, you can never split with your beloved lemons.

Some recipes were reinvented, some were old classics, some were new. But they were very satisfying. Although I could add even some more less known lemon-based dishes (as you see, I am a huge fan of lemons).

One of the best taste twists were lemon gnocchi! And I loved the staples sections how to make your own ricotta or limoncello, because I compared them with store-bought and home-made ones and I would rather sacrifice extra time for that far less expencive but good limoncello!

[Kathy Moberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this cookbook through Goodreads giveaways -- and I am genuinely delighted with it! Had I checked it out from the library, I would have decided it was a keeper and gotten a copy of my own. It's a lovely volume with loads of photos, some interesting and useful info on lemons and the recipes look excellent. There are only 50, but they cover a wide range. While there are plenty of lemon desserts included (I've got to try the lemon crinkle cookies!), there are also lots of savory recipes, too. It's a very nice addition to my cookbook collection.

[Yasmeen · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the lovers of all things lemon. I wouldn't say I'm crazy about lemon but I do enjoy citrusy things every once in a while. I bookmarked the following:
Cracked Wheat and Carrot Salad with Preserved Lemon
Peppery Lemon Parmesan Biscotti
Mini Lemon Meringue Whoopie Pies with Lemon Curd Filling
Toasted Coconut-Lemon Tart

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When life gives you lemons, cook something! Plenty of sweet and savory recipes, something for every taste.