My Oh Mey(er) Lemon Pie

On the calendar, Valentine's Day sits practically equidistant between January 1st and April 1st, and yet, the run up from New Year's Day to Valentine's Day seems much shorter than mid-Feb to astronomical spring. There, in mid-winter, while languishing in the deep end 0f dormancy, an unrequited yearning for spring grows intense.

Many citrus fruits are "in season" throughout the winter. Even though they ripen in cooler temperatures, their bright and sunny dispositions suggest that warm days lay ahead, though distant they may seem. Consider the lemon, specifically the Meyer lemon: grate the thin peel of this little orangy orb, and a bright, clean fragrance is emitted that just screams spring! Incredibly succulent, and less acidic than a traditional lemon, the Meyer lemon is a superior choice for a fine glass of lemonade, as well as other recipes, both sweet and savory.

I cook and bake with lemons often. Besides the wonderful flavor lemons impart, my favorite moment isn't when I consume the dish (although that's pretty great), but rather when I put the rinds down the kitchen disposal. The wonderful aroma released into the air hangs for hours, providing me with a lingering facsimile of spring.

I make the filling for "My Oh Mey(er) Lemon Pie" so the acidic notes are prevalent; the sensation on your palate is akin to what peppermint does for your nasal passages: it gives you a moment, albeit a pleasant one. And, just as "there is no Frigate like a Book to take us Lands away", there is no Vector like a Lemon to transport us Seasons away! (Please visit the Blog to read about the Meyer lemon's namesake, the intrepid food hunter, Frank N. Meyer.)

MY OH MEY(ER) LEMON PIE

Shortbread Crust

1/2 C. (1 stick) salted butter, melted

1/4 C. granulated sugar

1/4 t. salt

1 C. + 1 T. all-purpose flour

Filling

1 C. (scant) granulated sugar

3 T. all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

4 large Meyer lemons, juiced

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Fresh berries for decorating (optional, but highly recommended)

Preheat the oven to 325°F

For the crust:

Mix the melted butter, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir to completely combine. Press the dough evenly into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven. Using a fork, partially pierce the warm crust, careful not to go all the way through to the bottom. Set aside.

For the filling:

Sift the sugar and flour together into a large bowl. Add the eggs and lemon juice, whisking until completely combined.

Pour filling over the warm crust. Bake for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. Remove the pie from the oven and cool completely at room temperature (about 2 hours). Then, chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours until filling is cold.

Dust generously with confectioners’ sugar, and serve adorned with fresh berries.* Cover and store leftover pie in the refrigerator for approximately five days.

Notes:

Be sure to use only glass bakeware, as aluminum leaves behind a slight metallic taste in the filling.

For neat slices, wipe the knife blade clean between each cut.

Regular grocery store lemons (Lisbon or Eureka) will suffice nicely, just increase the sugar to a level cup.

*Withhold this step until just before serving to prevent the sugar from absorbing and avoid berry bleed on the filling's surface.