Lemon Lust

Greek Lemon Lust 101

Lemon (lemoni, λεμόνι, pronounced leh-MOH-nee): A citrus fruit with acidic juice that compels Greeks to boldly dig through the strategically-arranged stack in their supermarket’s produce section (upsetting the fruit-manager’s display) to pick the freshest unblemished of these yellow oval gems.
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Lust (epithimia, ἐπιθυμία, pronounced eh-pee-thee-MEE-ah): An intense longing or desire for the taste and aroma of all Greek foods, especially those made with lemon.

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​We literally have an ongoing lust affair with lemons and the countless ways they zest up our food. Found in appetizers like dolmadakia (stuffed grape leaves) to desserts like galaktomboureko (syrup-drenched custard in phyllo, pictured left), lemons are ever-present in our eats and no true Greek would be without lemons (yes, more than one!) in their fridge. When cooking, these tart citrus staples make whatever you’re preparing in the Greek kouzina lust-worthy, seriously! Take the aroma coming from the oven when roasting a lemon-marinated chicken with crispy-edged, melt-in-your-mouth potatoes. That barrage of lemon-scented ecstasy tests the limits of your patience when it comes to waiting for dinner to emerge—that’s lust my friends, lemon lust! And when your tummy is under the weather, you’ll be lusting after lemon’s medicinal attributes as well (which we’ll address later on in this blog). 

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When life hands you lemons, Greek up your cooking!

​Lemon—a key ingredient in just about everything in Greek cooking—adds the iconic flavor this cuisine is known for. Lemon is to Greek cuisine what curry is to Indian food. Lemon is often combined with other Greek pantry essentials such as olive oil, Greek oregano, and garlic. Lemon, along with any of these other three elements (used in various combinations), can easily turn ordinary food into a Greek dish—poultry, fish, lamb, roasted potatoes, tomato salad, artichokes, chicken soup (avgolemono, egg-lemon), sauces, desserts, and so much more—and the result will make you a lusted-after Greek god/goddess in your own kouzina. 

Following are a couple of our favorite fundamental recipes that can transform plain food into lemony Greek meals and define the term lust!
 
LADOLEMONO (olive oil and lemon dressing, λαδολέμονο, pronounced lah-tho-LEH-moh-noh)
This basic Ladolemono is the perfect dressing for broccoli and spinach/greens. When we were little, we loved our veggies while our non-Greek friends refused to eat them. Why? Ours had this lusty dressing and theirs didn’t.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Yield: about 3/4 cup
 
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 medium lemons)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
 
In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Toss with cooked broccoli or steamed spinach/greens (about 3 tablespoons per serving, or to taste). (Can be made ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving, as the olive oil will solidify when chilled.)

Variations: To make a classic Greek salad, add a teaspoon of dried Greek oregano to this recipe. To use as a marinade for chicken or lamb (to grill, broil, or roast), add the oregano and a couple of crushed garlic cloves. Feel free to adjust the amounts of olive oil and lemon juice to suit your taste—flexibility is the beauty of this recipe.

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LADOLEMONO-PARSLEY DRESSING (for fish)
This enhanced Ladolemono is whisked with parsley to make the ideal accompaniment for, but not limited to, grilled or broiled fish, such as porgy/sea bream (Kukla’s favorite) and red snapper.
 
Prep time: 10 minutes
Yield: about 1 cup
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1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 medium lemon)
1/4 cup (packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
 
In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, rind, and lemon juice until emulsified. Stir in the parsley and thyme (if using), and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir again to combine just before spooning over fish. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons for a small fish (such as a porgy).

Recipes © copyright 2017-2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style, kuklaskouzina.com 

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Healthy Lemon

​Every Greek family has its own version of “Windex”—a cure-all for everything that ails you—ours was, of course, the coveted lemon. Growing up, Kukla gave us freshly squeezed cold lemon juice for nausea and heated (hot but not burning) juice for diarrhea. It worked every time and to this day lemons rule in our kouzina for cooking and feeling better. Life’s lemons give you the opportunity to be Greek about it!

I hope you enjoyed our lusty celebration of lemon. More recipes featuring this Greek ingredient that ignites our passions are in our cookbook series, starting with Meze and Spreads & Dips, available on Amazon!
 
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Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday!
 
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!

Kelly

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​Copyright © 2017-2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    
 
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