In early Spring the appeal of bright, yellow lemons is irresistible  The lemon’s tart citrus juices jolt  our palates awake after a long winter the way that the sight of a patch of brilliant daffodils blooming among barren trees raises our spirits.  Sure, the vitamin C in lemon is good for us, but more than that, we crave its mood enhancing properties.
 
Historically, the lemon has played a supporting role in the kitchen.  It's acidic juice can be counted on to rescue a recipe from being either too sweet or too bland.  Just one or two tablespoons will do it!   Before modern refrigeration, lemon juice was also an essential ingredient in preserving  and tenderizing foods.  Whole lemons preserved in juice and salt are a signature seasoning in Moroccan cuisine to this day.

When the lemon move into the spotlight, as  the star ingredient in Lemon Curd, it does so with the addition of the grated yellow zest from its skin.  Adjectives like clean and refreshing don’t adequately describe the emotional appeal of lemon oil in zest.  It is the synergetic effect of lemon juice and zest that gives lemon the potential to draw a crowd.  Classes at my home cooking school devoted to lemon recipes were a perennial favorite. 

Preparing a recipe of Lemon Curd. is as easy  as whisking lemon juice, zest, sugar and egg yolks together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the sides of the vessel.  (To 180 degrees F. if you want to be exact.)  After straining the curd to removed the bits of zest, I like stir in a tablespoon or two of butter before letting it cool.

Lemon Curd lends itself to being spread curd on a slices of bread fortified with eggs, butter and milk.  Challah, brioche and French sandwich bread are great complements to rich tartness. The preferred garnish is fresh sweet berries and a dab of  Greek yogurt thinned with milk or cream.  When I'm looking for an easy party dessert, I create a colorful striped effect by layering curd with crushed shortbread cookies, fresh strawberry puree and yogurt.

Let April temperatures take a dive.   We all can keep our Spring spirits up by keeping a supply of Lemon Curd in the refrigerator.

All Chicago turns green the weekend before St. Patrick's day.  On Saturday morning, a sea of young and old make their way to Michigan Avenue to view a lavish parade.  They sport funny green hats, paint shamrocks on their faces, wear green tee-shirts; a few are already tipsy.  The normally drab Chicago River is dyed green for the occasion.  The Irish are, after all, the city's largest heritage group.

After such a festive build-up, the actual feast day of St Patrick on the 17th is a bit of a let down.  Standard fare is a heaping platter of  corned beef, cabbage and root vegetables.  It's supposed to be humble and comforting but, it doesn't have to be boring.  What this dish needs is a lively sauce à la française.

Over the years I've dressed up our family’s meal of corned beef and cabbage with a quick sauce made on the spot with flavors that normally come to the table in condiment bottles.  This year's rendition combines whole grain mustard, canned and sun-dried tomatoes, green onions with a touch of garlic and a bit of chopped parsley.  The ingredients are diced, quickly sauteed and blended into a warm vinaigrette with olive oil.  

MUSTARD SAUCE WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

1 bunch green onions, root end trimmed, thinly sliced 1" into the green
1 large clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 cup canned, diced tomatoes
6 sun-dried tomato halves, rinsed and diced
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt

Heat a thin layer of oil in an 8" skillet.  Saute the onion and garlic pieces over medium heat for one minute.  Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes until the juices begin to thicken.  Stir in the dried tomato pieces and the mustard.  Cook another minute of two.  Slowly stir in the remaining olive oil and bring to a simmer.  Fold in the parsley.  Off the heat, season with salt

A freshly-baked loaf of Brown Soda Bread is another welcome enhancement to corned beef and cabbage.  It’s chewy crust, cake-like texture and scent of warm grain flatters the boiled vegetables and soaks up the sauce that remains on the plate.  Best of all, you have enough time to bake it while the corned beef is simmering.  Link: Brown Soda Bread