3 WAYS WITH LEMONS - LEMONY SMASHED OLIVE POTATO SALAD, ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMONS AND FENNEL SEEDS AND STICKY LEMON DRIZZLE ICED BUNS

The one fruit you should always have in your fruit bowl - turned into 3 simple recipes.

Hello,

Welcome to this weeks newsletter, which all about one of the most important ingredients you can have in your kitchen - lemons!

There are a handful of ingredients I never find myself without, and these will always include lemons. Acidity is key to so many recipes and lemon zest brings that as well as fragrance and a change in pace to heavier dishes.

This week I’ve got three really lovely lemony recipes for you that I hope you’ll give a go. There’s a cracking potato salad where the lemon rind takes centre stage and is used in the punchy dressing. It’s delicious with fish or bbq’d lamb, or just simply with a boiled egg for lunch.

For my paid subs there’s a really easy oven baked chicken dish that I make often. With lemon slices, oregano, fennel seeds and sun-dried tomatoes. All finished with chunky bread to soak up those fatty, chicken roasting juices.

Finally there’s some very special lemon drizzle sticky buns that are so soft and pillowy and sharp from the lemony syrup…you have to make these.

Have a lovely weekend all!

Esther x

Lemony smashed olive and herb potato salad

PREP 20 mins

COOK 12 mins

SERVES 4-6

EASY

500g new potatoes

1 large unwaxed lemon

1 small garlic clove

2 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)

100g green pitted olives

80-100ml extra virgin olive oil

Large handful basil, finely chopped

Large handful mint, finely chopped

Season a pan of water really well with lots of sea salt and bring to the boil. Add the potatoes and boil for 12-15 mins or until a cutlery knife can easily be inserted into them. Drain and leave to cool a little bit.

Peel the skin off the lemon with a peeler, trying not to apply too much pressure - you don’t want to take too much of white pith with you just the yellow outside. Cut the strips of zest into thin matchsticks. In a pestle and mortar add the garlic, anchovies and the lemon zest and smash together with a pinch of salt until you have a paste. Add the olives and smash until broken up then stir in the oil, basil and 1/2 the juice of a lemon. Season with some salt and black pepper.

Whilst still warm, gently peel the skins off the potatoes then toss with the dressing. Leave to sit for 15 mins. Serve with lamb or fish or just a simple soft boiled egg and some tuna.

GOOD TO KNOW -

• Peeled potatoes - I like to peel my potatoes when the dressing is of this sort because it really penetrates through the potato once the skin is removed. This goes for any zingy, citrusy dressings like salsa verde or mojo verde. It’s easier to peel the skins off after cooking but make sure they are still warm. Once cold the skins are much harder to remove.

• My potatoes were quite little so do check your potatoes after the specified cooking time and add a minute or two longer if they are larger, you can also halve them if they are really big.

• Unwaxed lemons are unsprayed, unwashed and unwaxed. The unwaxed lemons are the ones you really want to be buying. Their rind has a strong, citrusy flavour and is the only type you should be using if grating the zest or adding slices to recipes and drinks. Pretty much all supermarkets will sell a waxed and unwaxed variety - its worth spending a little bit more!

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