Puckery limes

LIMES are creeping into the market, my lime tree is giving me some limes, not as many as I would normally get, but who’s complaining! Lime season is here!

It’s no secret that our cuisine embraces the mighty lime, we love to wash our meats in lime juice, it’s a main ingredient in souse and chow, we make lime pepper sauce, we drink lime and honey for the flu and cough, we enjoy copious amounts of lime juice drink, it’s what gives a good rum punch the edge and I would never consider fish broth without fresh lime juice.

There is another cuisine in which limes play a fundamental role, Mexican cuisine. There it is served with nearly all food except coffee and dessert (and some desserts are made with them). There, limes are considered a necessity, and almost no kitchen is without them much like ours.

Wedges of lime accompany everything from morning plates of fruit to late night tacos, and are served with salads, ceviche, seafood cocktails, fish dishes, grilled beef, soups, and snacks like, pico de gallo, guacamole, and even roasted peanuts. Yes they liberally douse the peanuts, skin and all, with the aromatic juice.

Mexican cocktails are mostly lime-based. They are an important element in the beer, in the rum and coke drink Cuba libre, and of course in margaritas, not to mention tequila shots. A non-alcoholic drink called limonada preparada is made with lime juice and club soda, and then there is agua de limón, made with either the fruit juice or leaves.

Fresh lime juice brightens up the flavour of any dish it is used in, but we cannot ignore the great contribution it adds to desserts, think key lime pie, lime cheesecake, lime sorbet and mousse to name a few.

Lime zest is also an important addition to many recipes both savoury and sweet, adding subtly and intriguing flavours to rice pilafs, gremolatas, crushed cassava, wholegrain and bean salads, roasted meats and seafood, ice creams and custards.

The next time you take home a bag of our mighty limes, expand your culinary horizons and use the lime from zest to juice.

Jalapeno and lime marinated steak tacos

Marinade

1 jalapeno pepper, sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup chopped chadon- beni or cilantro

¼ cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

¾ tsp ground cumin

1 lb skirt steak, sliced crossways into 6 segments.

Tacos:

8 8-inch flour or corn tortillas, soft

4 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

2 limes, juiced

¼ cup chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt to taste

½ avocado cubed

1/3 cup sour cream or Greek yoghurt

Garnish: Chopped chadon beni or cilantro, sliced red onion, lime wedges.

The night before, marinate steak in marinade ingredients, place in refrigerator.

Or place in plastic bag and marinate for 30 minutes.

Combine tomatoes, lime juice, onion, garlic and salt. Stir and set aside.

Remove steak from marinade, heat a stove top grill pan and when hot grill steak for 2-3 mins per side for medium rare.

Remove to a plate, let sit for 10 minutes then slice against the grain.

Warm tortillas in oven or microwave.

Divide steak among tortillas, top with tomato salsa, avocado and sour cream.

Garnish with additional red onion and cilantro.

Fish broth

Marinated fish

2-4 pounds of fish, cleaned, filleted, and sliced; reserve head

2 tbs hot pepper minced,

1 tsp salt

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbs olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Fish head stock

1 fish head

7 cups water

1 tbs fresh thyme

6 whole black peppercorns

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 hot pepper, seeds and stem removed, chopped

1 tbs minced chives

2 tbs minced chadon beni

2 limes juiced

Vegetables

3 tbs vegetable oil

1 cup carrots, sliced

2 tbs olive oil

2 cups, mixed provision, cut into 2 inch pieces

4 green figs, peeled and cut into one inch slices

salt and pepper to taste

Dumplings (optional)

Lime wedges

Place the fish pieces in a shallow glass pan and toss with the lime juice, garlic, pepper, salt, olive oil. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Place the fish head stock ingredients into in a heavy casserole. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Heat the oils in a heavy, large skillet and sauté the onion, carrots, and potatoes for 3 to 4 minutes. Place the sautéed mixture in a heavy casserole.

Strain the cooked fish head stock into the casserole containing the sautéed vegetables. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the chopped provisions and dumplings if using cook for 10 minutes until provisions are tender.

Add the marinated fish pieces and cook slowly for an additional 15 minutes, until the fish is cooked and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Serves: 6

Key lime pie

2 cups broken digestive or ginger snaps

4 tbs melted butter

½ cup lime juice

1½ cups condensed milk or 1 14 oz tin

1 tsp grated lime zest

4 eggs, separated

½ tsp cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 325F

In a food processor process ginger snaps to fine crumbs, add melted butter and process.

Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.

Bake for 5 minutes until set.

Preheat oven to 350F

With an electric mixer beat yolks until light and fluffy.

Add condensed milk, lime zest and mix on low speed until combined.

Add lime juice and and mix well.

Pour mixture into pre-baked cookie shell and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the centre of the pie is firm and dry to the touch.

Chill thoroughly until ready for use.

Preheat oven to 325F

Make the meringue:

Beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar, add the sugar gradually and beat until stiff peaks form. Top the pie and bake until golden, about 10 to 15 minutes, freeze until ready for use.

Serves 6 to 8