I've started using citrus zest to brighten pasta and vegetables, but my first attempt made the dish bitter. I probably grated too deeply into the white pith, then cooked the zest aggressively in hot oil. I'm going to use only the colored surface and add some near the end. Do you prefer a fine microplane or thin strips for controlling zest, and when does cooking it improve versus damage the aroma?
Using citrus zest without making a dish bitter
- practical-cooking
- citrus
- zest
- dish
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The other trick is to treat zest like seasoning, not a main ingredient. A little at the end does a lot more than a lot at the start.
The other trick is to treat zest like seasoning, not a main ingredient. A little at the end does a lot more than a lot at the start.
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Microplane for most things. It gives you fine bits with less chance of hitting the pith, and you can control the amount better.
Microplane for most things. It gives you fine bits with less chance of hitting the pith, and you can control the amount better.
I’m with you on the microplane, but I’d say use it off the heat more often than in the pan. Zest releases aroma fast, so a quick stir into the finished dish or the last minute of cooking is usually enough.
Yeah, frying zest until it’s basically confetti is how you end up wondering why dinner tastes like regret. I add it at the end unless I’m in...
I prefer thin strips when I want a more obvious citrus note I can fish out later, like in rice or soup. For pasta or roasted vegetables, the microplane feels easier because the zest disappears into the dish.
Do you ever blanch the strips first? I’ve seen that suggested for bitter citrus, but I haven’t tried it enough to know if it’s worth the ext...