In my world, where I am regularly tasting fruit I’ve never seen before and may or may not know how to pronounce (I’m talking to you Carambola and Rambutan), sometimes I can get bored with the simple pleasures that are easy to access. Limes are one of those basic fruits that I tend to take for granted. Additionally, I find myself with all different varieties and no idea what to do with them. A girl can only drink so many margaritas! So I’ve been branching out. The following list of ideas is geared toward the basic lime, but try them with any of the various limes available and see what you get. You never know.
BEARSS LIME & PERSIAN LIMEBasic acidic grocery store limes |
KEY LIMESlightly floral and more acidic than Bearss limes |
MEXICAN LIMEGreat lime flavor, slightly less acidic |
KAFFIR LIME
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SWEET LIMEMellow lime flavor, no acidity |
RANGPUR LIME
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CALAMANSI LIME
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LIMEQUAT
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AUSTRALIAN FINGERLIMESour, crunchy little balls of juice |
10 Ways to Cook with a Lime
- Squeeze juice onto salted, buttered corn-on-the-cob.
- Blend zest with cilantro, garlic, salt and olive oil. Mix into freshly cooked white rice.
- Mix juice and zest with chives and stir into softened butter.
- Cut in half and squeeze over fresh cut papaya or mango.
- Saute shrimp, lime, salt, pepper, and a few chopped onions in a skillet.
- Mix juice with an equal amount of triple sec and tequila.
- Toss some zest in to shortbread cookie dough before baking.
- Make vinaigratte by mixing lime juice with equal part honey, double amount of olive oil and a bit of chopped cilantro.
- Sprinkle juice over avocado to prevent discoloring. Mash with garlic and salt for a simple guacamole.
- Mix with sugar water – limeade!
As I’m a bit obsessive, too, I always like to grate off all the skins to my citrus and save it in a little jar for when i need it. During cold seasons, I often boil lemons, limes or oranges in water with ginger and cinnamon, then i drink the tea as a health tonic with a tiny bit of honey. I almost never get sick. When the pot runs low, just fill it with more water until the tea is weak.
Vinaigrette with lime is amazing over baby greens tossed with walnuts and romaine hearts and is a staple summer dressing at my house. So many things here I haven’t tried (like the corn, omg! sounds so good! and the butter! I’m so on this).
If I start keeping jars of peel around the house, I may get booted to the street. Maybe if I just tuck them behind the gin.
I might need to try that citrus boil. I feel a cold coming on…
You do keep jars of fruit bits around the house. It’s like a mad fruit scientist’s lair.
@Mr. Maven – Be careful. I will be forced to start talking about the climbing gear you have hanging from our ceiling.
I have a small but very prolific lime tree in a pot and I gratefully welcome all recipies using limes. Thank you. If overwhelmed by limes – or lemons – they can be frozen whole and the juice harvested once they’re thawed out.
Thanks Donna. How funny that I have never once considered freezing citrus. What a great idea.
Squeeze over a fresh ripe slice of Honey Dew Melon. The sweet and tart combination is absolute bliss.
You have inspired me to order a Dwarf Key Lime tree from Gurneys but meanwhile I will have to rely on my grocer. I am going to try #2,3,5&8 this week, #1 when I can get fresh corn. Enjoyed all the new ways to put some zest into the day. See ya later, Irene.
How about key lime pie.