Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

3 lemons

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature

4 extra-large egg yolks

1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)

 Directions:

1 Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being

careful to avoid the white pith.

Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add

the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.

2 Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until

combined.

3 Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will

thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

Spaghetti al Limone

Spaghetti al Limone

A combination of lemon zest and juice gives this dish tons of citrus flavor. The strips of thinly sliced zest add a welcome bright contrast to the rich sauce.  

 

 Ingredients

4 servings

1 lemon

12 oz. spaghetti or other long pasta

Kosher salt

¾ cup heavy cream

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ¾ cup)

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Step 1
   Using a vegetable peeler, remove two (2"-long) strips of lemon zest. Thinly slice each strip lengthwise into strands; set aside for serving. Finely grate remaining zest into a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into a small bowl to yield 2 Tbsp.; set aside.
   Step 2
   Add cream to pot and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until liquid is just beginning to simmer, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in butter 1 Tbsp. at a time until melted and sauce is creamy. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
   Step 3
   Meanwhile, cook pasta in another large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions.
   Step 4
   Scoop out ¾ cup pasta cooking liquid and add to cream sauce. Return sauce to medium heat. Using tongs, transfer pasta to sauce and cook, tossing often and adding Parmesan a little at a time, until sauce is creamy, about 3 minutes. If sauce looks tight, add 1–2 Tbsp. more pasta cooking liquid. (Cream sauces tighten as they cool, so lean on the saucy side.) Stir in reserved lemon juice; season with salt.
   Step 5
   Divide pasta among bowls. Season with pepper and top with reserved lemon zest strands.