Lemon Curd

Once upon a time, I enjoyed taking the train on a Sunday from Palma to Soller. This little railway was built in the 1930s and features of it still evoke the time. The train with its airy and bright carriages makes its way out of Palma and climbs into and over the mountains, descending down into the town of Soller, which is just set back in from the north coast of Mallorca. As you arrive into Soller you pass by the gardens of the local residents which invariably are planted with lemon trees, and at certain times of the year the brightly coloured fruit laden branches are within reach of the passing train.

Lemons are uplifting and refreshing, and to savour this experience more often than I should I resort to making lemon curd. The following is a quick, simple and rewarding recipe:

3 large Lemons
Sugar 225g
Butter 115g
2 large Eggs

After washing the lemons with warm water remove the rind and chop finely. Add the rind, the juice of two of the lemons (7 or 8 tbps does it for me), the sugar and butter in a glass basin or double saucepan. Gently heat the water in a pan below the basin, melting the butter and sugar. Once the lemon mixture has fully melted, beat the eggs and pour them into the basin whisking or stirring to combine. Continue to stir until the mixture thickens. It is better to spoon the curd into hot jars once the mixture has thickened rather overcook. The cooking process continues for a time as the curd cools and sets. Once the jar has been opened I normally store it in the fridge for further plunder.

For an intensely flavoured and zesty curd that can be used in a lemon tart, I have used a recipe from "baker & spice baking with passion" by Dan Lepard and Richard Whittington. The recipe is enough to adequately fill a 25cm shortcrust pastry case. Don't worry about the odd fissure or crack in the case because the curd is quite thick as it sets and should not flow through small cracks, and as a result ideal for the imperfect baker.

Grated Zest and Juice of 6 Lemons
Sugar 225g
Butter 60g
8 eggs.

The curd is made in the same way as set out above however I would cook this for a little longer until the consistency is a little thicker before pouring into the pastry case. While ordinary white sugar works well, a light brown granulated sugar will give a rich yellow colour to the curd.

For the ultimate uplifting experience nibble a good 70% dark chocolate with a slice of this tart.

White Asparagus

This time last year I was amazed by the white asparagus crop in the Pays de L'Aude. The weather was very warm for April and the river was alive with the waters from the freshly melted snow in the Pyrenees. Crops were being harvested from patches of rich soil close to the river bank. These were not large fields but manageble small plots often on a shallow bend of the river. The asparagus itself comes in many shapes and sizes but this region prides itself on the tall and thick spears which are primarily sold by the producers on roadside stalls or make their way into the local village markets.

White asparagus is quite particular and subtle in flavour and is probably best garnished and presented with softened melting butterwith a little salt and freshly ground pepper, or a mild white wine vinegar based dressing. Nothing should complicate or distract you from this experience. A rose wine, from the not too distant Etang des Colombes, Corbieres washed the lot down.