Market correspondent Gillian Ferguson catches up with chef Damon Gordon of FIG Restaurant at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel, a stone's throw from the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Meyer lemons caught his eye this week. A pomelo-mandarin hybrid crossed with a citron gives the lemon its orange tinge, and the thin skin makes it edible. More tart than acidic, the flavor profile is unique. Now that artichokes are in season, Gordon is using the preserved lemon in a beurre blanc with roasted halibut and an artichoke barigoule, a classic Provencal technique.
Laura Ramirez of JJ's Lone Daughter Ranch is a star-citrus grower. Bringing fruit from Redlands, she uses her Meyer lemons for a lemon drop cocktail. Ramirez reveals that limes are seasonal and should be yellow — not green. Pick one with a smooth skin for its juice. Grocery stores stock green limes to differentiate them from lemons.
Roasted halibut, artichoke barigoule and preserved Meyer lemon beurre blanc. Photo courtesy of Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows.