The humble lemon is probably the most useful food to have in the house: powerful disinfectant, immune booster, grill-pan degreaser, throat gargle and even facial skin toner! It also adds loads of flavour and vitamins to almost any dish.
Cases of scurvy -- an extreme deficiency of vitamin C with one of the most visible symptoms being bleeding gums and loss of teeth -- are on the rise.
In England, there has been a 50pc increase in the last 10 years of children being admitted to hospital with it. As lemons are incredibly rich in vitamin C, they are the perfect preventative.
Alongside vitamin C, lemons are rich in citrus flavonoids which are phtyochemicals (biologically active plant compounds) that can assist the healing of wounds and strengthen the walls of blood capillaries.
Vitamin C helps fight infection, strengthen the immune system, make collagen (the main protein in connective tissue), keep the skin and joints healthy and protect against cell damage by free radicals.
It makes an excellent gargle for sore throats and can be used on any small wounds and abrasions as a natural antiseptic and wound healer.
When I feel a cold coming on, I get my big soup pot out, fill it with water and boil up three lemons (juice squeezed into the water) and the skins and one ginger root (roughly chopped) for 15 minutes.
I add Manuka honey to the slightly cooled lemon tea, and sip throughout the day.
Lemonade
2 lemons, wiped and sliced
60g brown sugar
1 litre water
?Mix the lemons with the sugar and water. Leave to macerate for 12 hours in the fridge. Drink cold.
Lemon In Oil
Lemons will keep for months covered in oil. Use them in salads or with meat and fish dishes. The oil is delicious in dressings.
6 lemons, sliced or quartered
2tbls salt
1 litre olive oil
1 bay leaf
?Place the lemons in a bowl and sprinkle them with sea salt. Toss and refrigerate for 24 hours. Drain the juice from the lemons and leave in a colander for two hours, pressing down on them to remove more juice. Try to get as much moisture out of them as possible.
?Wipe the lemons clean and place in jar. Pour over the olive oil and add the bay leaf. n Seal tightly.
Lemon Tahini Dressing
2tbls lemon juice
1tbls tahini
1tbls maple syrup
1tbls Dijon mustard
7tbls olive oil
?Mix everything together, and whisk to a smooth consistency. Add seasoning and adjust the flavours to your liking.
Simple Citrus Chicken
1 whole chicken
juice and zest of 1 orange
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1tbls dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed
100g butter, softened
salt and pepper
?Squeeze the lemon and orange juice over the chicken and push fruit into the cavity.
?Mash the citrus zest, thyme, garlic, butter and salt and pepper together. Rub all over the chicken.
?Roast at 180°C for 15 minutes per 450g plus an extra 15 minutes.
?Allow to rest for a few minutes before carving.
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