How to Roast a Lamb is full of elaborate sauces and spreads that can seem daunting to the average foodie. Michael Psilakis’s recipes sometimes include flipping back and forth across the book up to three or four times to other recipes – adding a teaspoon of another time-consuming confit or dressing. To me, it is the fun of the book. Navigating around it takes some time but once you conquer a dish – it is well worth the time and energy. The same feeling came about when completing his recipe for Roasted Lemon Puree. This sauce was surprisingly simple – only a handful of ingredients that you’ll most likely already have in your kitchen. It takes a couple hours but is a perfect weekend activity. Of course, it is even more fun when you have a friend by your side (a big thank you to Debbie who worked with me on this recipe!).
I love the way this puree is the consistency of a mayonnaise but only has whipped olive oil within a rich and flavorful roasted lemon concoction. We used the puree as a sauce for grilled lamb chops and a marinade for chicken kabobs. This would be amazing on a pita sandwich (or a BLT!), any grilled meats or veggies – or spooned out of the jar straight up.
Roasted Lemon Puree, by Michael Psilakis
- 4 scrubbed lemons (scrubbing removes any wax on the lemons)
- about 1/3 cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon or orange juice
- 1 tablespoon dijion mustard
- 2 crushed and pressed garlic cloves
- 1 cup olive oil
- pinch of sugar
- cracked pepper
Mod Meals on Mendenhall 
This looks great but the roasting the lemons on the salt that is outside the package is puzzling. ????
I think the salt might be just to A) keep the lemons upright and not rolling around and B) keep the packages up off of the metal baking sheet. I don’t think it has much to do with flavoring, though some of the salt might work it’s way into the steam of the lemon.
Baked onions in their skins also rest on salt when baking.
To rest stuff to be baked on a layer of coarse salt is an ancient trick in the south of Italy, albeit without a wrapping around. I guess you cold bake the lemons also without a wrapper, directly on the salt.
This was my question too.
Maybe the salt helps the packages stay upright?
[…] Roasted Lemon Puree Souvlaki Marinade: […]
good post keep posting frnd thanks 4 sharing
This looks amazing, but I absolutely hate the flavor of mustard … I wonder if there’s something that could be substituted for those of us with mustard aversions?
I do love the idea of roasting the lemons, though…
🙂
I donlt like mustaed, either, Mikalee.
Living in AZ, everyone has a citrus tree. Come January, citrus abounds and I always grab a huge bag full of gorgeous lemons given away by my generous friends at church…but uh, I never know what to do with them all! Now I have a lovely way to prepare them! Looking forward to January! Thanks!
Thank God for neighbors who shar, right, markwardt?
this looks so good and not that hard to do at all.. ill try it someday.. 🙂
I would love to do this. I wonder if I could do it with lemons I’ve remove the yellow from and just roast them for a shorter time. I always have so many lemons after I make limoncello. I roast garlic this way, I bet you could make a garlic puree in a similar way. Anyway, just a wonderful post and congrats on being Freshly Pressed.
Looks interesting and tasty. Definitely going to try this recipe out.
Looks like my tastebuds will be in for a treat this weekend 😉 keep these little beauties coming
i think i might just have to try this out…we’ll see how it goes. thanks for sharing!
mmm looks delicious. and i love the mustard flavoring on lamb chops. divine!
How long would this keep, in a refrigerator?
Hi Dawn! The original recipe says two weeks. We put it on grilled chicken and veggies too. So delicious!
Sounds delicous! Can’t wait to try it.
Looks great!
very interesting…gonna try
I’m trying to imagine what this would taste like and can’t so I guess I’ll be making some up. I might add a few limes to the roasting tray and try a lime version as well. Now, I’m on my way out the door to try to find that book!
This is quite new to me…interesting!
This recipe looks heavenly! I can see it as an accompaniment to many middle Eastern dishes. It’s not a far cry from preserved lemons which I use in Moroccan dishes.
Now look at these johnny come lately’s! You are freshly pressed! How did I not put a like on here before or a comment? I had even copied the recipe! 🙂 Now everyone will see what I like about your blog…the recipes! Also how you write about what you do.
Check out other entrys folks! They smell good if you have scratch and sniff!!! 🙂
Stumbled on this blog from Freshly Pressed (congrats!) and couldn’t agree more, everything looks so delicious and yet so simple to make. 😀
can’t wait to try this! It looks delish!
看起来好吃哦，做的真精致。
All I can say is … Oh hell yes! Congrats on FP
simple but great recipes, thank’s . . . matai
Imagine the salt on the outside is also for our benefit in the photos…
That sounds great – will give it a whirl.
I’ve just inherited a lemon tree and looking for ideas……………..will give it a go, thanks
Oh my – this looks bloody lovely
Great Images. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
This looks yummy! Can’t wait to make my own…
I enjoyed reading this post… Great report.
Looks yummy can’t wait to try it! Congrats of FP
Lemon puree…maybe that will brighten my morning 🙂
Wow – congrats. Just when I thought I’d seen it all…Roasted Lemon Puree. Wow. Will be giving this try. thanks!
I like this blog, because this is interesting blog
This sounds yummy. Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
Kat
http://livinglocallyslc.wordpress.com/
yummm! looks good! thanks for sharing!
-debi Intha
spread the love…
That looks very yummy! I think I might just try that out.
this looks SO good. great recipe! i’ll try it soon!
I’ve never heard of roasting a lemon, but I love lemon anything so I’m excited to try it!
sounds tasteful i think i’ll try it out
thank u 4 posting such delicious stuff
I love lemons! What a great way to use lemons, will definitely have to try it with your suggestions! Thanks for sharing! I’m new to blogging and love that there is a foodie community! If you have time, please check out my blog: http://shecooksandheeats.wordpress.com/. And of course! Any advice would be great 🙂
I like ze pictures T_T
Fantastic. Just moved into a place with a lemon tree and was flummoxed on what to do with our first large harvest. Looking forward to trying this with the next batch of lemons.
I love lemon in savoury dishes. I think this would be great alongside barbecued meats.
That’s a new take on preparing lemon for me.
Thanks a lot for this nice recipe!!
your still lifes are amazing! thank you for sharing!
Thank you for some inspiration! Also, congrats on the FP!
My wife and I cook for summer camps and we are catering a wedding in two weeks. Since my last name is Lemmon we always like lemon in our cooking. Your recipe might go well with my barbecued chicken. I think I’ll try it out. Thanks!!
This sounds wonderful. I love lemon in everything. My husband has kidney issues and I give him freshly squeezed lemon juice every day with an organic lemonade. Lamb is our favorite meat as I’m Canadian and he’s Egyptian so this I will definitely give a try.
I HAVE to try this. Looks delicious!
A savory lemon butter! Looks lovely I will definitely try this, though I think I will roast the garlic also – in it’s skin.
it looks very nice.i very love lemon. i think i should make a try.
That’s a great idea. I love lemon anything! I’ve never heard of roasting them like that, but I bet it’s delish!
Ohhh, This sounds so so good.
[…] Roasted Lemon Puree (via Mod Meals on Mendenhall) 01 Aug How to Roast a Lamb is full of elaborate sauces and spreads that can seem daunting to the average foodie. Michael Psilakis's recipes sometimes include flipping back and forth across the book up to three or four times to other recipes – adding a teaspoon of another time-consuming confit or dressing. To me, it is the fun of the book. Navigating around it takes some time but once you conquer a dish – it is well worth the time and energy. The same fe … Read More […]
What an excellent idea and a nice way to use some of the lemons from my garden. Nice post.
Mosst immpressive. I love the idea of home made, but haaven’t got the patience.
Can’t wait to try this!
I just made this and LOVE it! A couple of things however – a) the lemon puree seemed to start separating from the olive oil and did not look as smooth as what you have in the picture. It tastes great though. b) there is a very slight bitter taste to the dip, im not sure why that happened. I removed all the pith after I roasted it. Any insight on this would be helpful. I’m definitely making this again 🙂
i had the same two problems. mine was like a lovely smooth hummus (not mayonaise) and slightly bitter. i loved it but trying to figure out what went not so right.
Mine separated a bit too. Used the oil feeder thing with the food processor and that helped. I think it will naturally separate with time though. In terms of the bitterness, did you take out the pith before adding the lemon rind?
wow.. I love this idea. I could see using this puree on so many dishes! Great post!!
[…] Roasting a Lamb….. Yes… How to Roast a Lamb is full of elaborate sauces and spreads that can seem daunting to the average foodie. Michael Psilakis's recipes sometimes include flipping back and forth across the book up to three or four times to other recipes – adding a teaspoon of another time-consuming confit or dressing. To me, it is the fun of the book. Navigating around it takes some time but once you conquer a dish – it is well worth the time and energy. The same fe … Read More […]
[…] found this recipe here a while ago on freshly pressed and I made it right away. I’ve had this post sitting around […]
[…] found this recipe here a while ago on freshly pressed and I made it right away. I’ve had this post sitting around […]