You must try the homemade lemon paste made with leftover lemons.
Lemon paste #no waste, that is, made with the lemon scraps that are usually thrown away — why throw away such precious lemon leftovers?
Do you use or throw away your squeezed lemons? My husband often asks me: “Can I throw them away or do you keep the squeezed lemons?”
Today, using Siracusa PGI lemons, I prepared the classic lemon paste, which is usually made with the whole lemon.
But for a circular kitchen it’s also delicious when made with lemon scraps, provided you choose organic or untreated-skinned lemons. Besides, it’s wonderfully fragrant and practically free.
A few minutes, zero waste and an aroma that will fill the whole kitchen!
How to use lemon paste? In this case I added a little sugar to the mixture, but you can leave it neutral and use it to flavor vegetables.
Today I will use this in the batter for pancakes and lemon loaf.
It is also excellent in infusions, in summer drinks, and in lemon ice creams.
Super easy to prepare: just wash and roughly chop the lemons — something you would have already done before squeezing them for other uses. Sometimes you need the juice of many lemons. I use lemon juice instead of salt to season everything, so I always have scraps in the fridge. Store the empty half-lemon shells in containers in the refrigerator and, when you have enough, you can make lemon paste, candied lemons, or dry and grind the peel to add to tea, sugar, or salt.
Here are other lemon recipes for you:
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 1 Piece
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients Lemon paste #nowaste
Of course, the amount of sugar depends on how many lemon remnants you have.
- 10 lemons (leftover squeezed lemons)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Steps
Cut the halved organic squeezed lemons (washed well, peel and all) into slices with a knife and boil them for 10 minutes, then drain the water, boil them again, change the water and repeat three or four times in total until the lemons are cooked through.
This removes the bitterness of the albedo, the white part.
At this point drain them, add sugar to taste, add the juice of one lemon for extra flavor, and blend. I blend and taste and add a little more sugar if needed. You will obtain a light-yellow lemon paste to pour into ice cube molds or into a small jar to store in the freezer. The sugar prevents the paste from freezing solid, so when needed you can simply open the jar and take what you need.
Daniela’s Tips
As you can see, using squeezed lemons is simple, and this way you recover the lemon peels.
You can also use them in many other ways, for example by grinding dried peels to make lemon-flavored green tea, lemon sugar, or lemon salt.
You can also try a savory lemon paste: replace the sugar with salt and then use it in risottos and on vegetables.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How do you store the lemon paste?
Store it in a clean glass jar in the refrigerator for about 15 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it in ice cube trays: you’ll have single portions ready to use!
Can I use it in cooking?
Absolutely yes. It’s perfect in cake and cookie batters or in panettone. It holds up well to high temperatures while retaining all its aroma.
How much lemon paste should I use in recipes?
Generally, one teaspoon of lemon paste replaces the grated zest of one medium lemon.
