Lemon

We love the bright, cheery flavor that citrus adds to our cooking—here's how to make the most out of your oranges, lemons, limes, and more.

Wait, whipped cream in a salad? Yep. This rich, bright lemon cream is perfectly suited for Little Gems. “The cream takes over your whole mouth,” says chef Joshua McFadden, “while the lemon juice acts as a bridge.” Learn more here.

These breezy cocktails are the kind of thing you can drink all afternoon.

Beets for dessert—we were skeptical too, but their sugar content and gorgeous color make for a stunning dish.

The butter (yep, a whole stick) mellows the tart lemon sauce and is key to the finished texture.

Lemon curd is an iconic dessert—learn how to make three versions of it, from no-bake lemon bars to a stunning pie.

Baked lemon bars will be stable and set at room temperature. Unbaked bars should be refrigerated until ready to serve, otherwise the lemon curd will soften. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

The addition of gelatin is what makes the meringue-like topping stay billowy but firm, without weeping, even at room temperature.

Brining this lemon chicken seasons it down to the bone, and helps keep the flesh juicy while it cooks. If making chicken crackling is not your thing, simply use two bone-in breasts and two bone-in thighs.

If you close your eyes, you’ll swear this frozen custard recipe tastes exactly like pink lemonade.

A spicy, creamy vibrant dressing that’s equally delicious on grain bowls and hearty salads, like kale.

The addition of buttermilk gives the barley a sour cream and onion vibe. But if you're not into the tang, feel free to leave it out.

This recipe straddles the line between sweet and savory: It works equally well as a chunky accompaniment to steamy fish at dinnertime and as a stir-in for a morning porridge.

It can be hard to gauge what’s happening under all that salt, but these times are accurate. If your fish is on the smaller side, take it out on the lower end of the range.

The zest cuts through the richness of the butter (and the rest of the Thanksgiving meal). Try this one tossed with roasted vegetables—your green beans, your brussels sprouts–just before serving.

The toasted coconut in the crust lends flavor and texture and complements the curd filling.

Tart, sour, and just as refreshing as ye olde cranberry sauce.

This dark-red mixture will bubble and spit like a vat of lava as it cooks. Okay, slight exaggeration, but really: Cook this in a deep pot, and use a long whisk.

When using preserved lemons, scoop out the insides and only use the peel.

Ask for a thick center-cut piece of halibut, which makes for the nicest presentation.

This amazing soufflé from Måurice Luncheonette is cakey on top, pudding-y on the bottom, tart all the way through.

Tosca's cocktails are so good people drink them well into the meal.

We’re now obsessed with this snail-shaped pasta (which is made from scratch at Tosca).

A cooling, slightly garlicky spread that’s great with braised lamb tonight and possibly even better when added to a lamb sandwich tomorrow.