Steamed Lemon Pie Filling

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon rind, grated
3 tablespoons unsifted flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 egg yolks, well-beaten
2 cups warm water
2 lemons juice
1 tablespoon butter, softened

Meringue:

3 egg whites, beaten
3 tablespoons sugar


Preparation:

  • In a medium size bowl mix egg yolks with sugar, grated lemon rind, flour, cornstarch, softened butter and lemon juice.
  • Gradualy add warm water to the mixture and transfer to another dish over boiling water or in double boiler.
  • Cook until it thickens (it should look on the spoon like cold honey), remove from the fire, and when cooled, pour it into a deep pie-dish, lined with pastry and bake.
  • Beat 3 egg whites with 3 tablespoons of sugar until stiff. Spread meringue over the top of the baked pie, reduce heat and return to the oven to set and brown slightly.

Real Cooking
Did You Know?
Lemons are used to make lemonade, and as a garnish for drinks. Lemon zest has many uses. Many mixed drinks, soft drinks, iced tea, and water are often served with a wedge or slice of lemon in the glass or on the rim. The average lemon contains approximately 3 tablespoons of juice. Allowing lemons to come to room temperature before squeezing makes the juice easier to extract.

Fish are marinated in lemon juice to neutralize the odor. The acid neutralizes the amines in fish by converting them into nonvolatile ammonium salts.

Lemon juice, alone or in combination with other ingredients, is used to marinate meat before cooking: the acid provided by the juice partially hydrolyzes the tough collagen fibers in the meat (tenderizing the meat), though the juice does not have any antibiotic effects.

The grated rind of the lemon, called lemon zest, is used to add flavor to baked goods, puddings, rice and other dishes. Pickled lemons are a Moroccan delicacy. A liqueur called limoncello, typical of southern Italy, is made from lemon rind.