How to Use Limes

Fresh limes full of juice

Rich in Vitamin C and having a tangy, tart flavor, limes long have been used by chefs, bartenders and sailors for their taste, health benefits, and tenderizing qualities in food. Lime juice added to almost anything gives it an instant tropical flavor. Small Mexican limes are often known as Key Limes, and are required for the signature pie dessert. Persian limes are larger and seedless, but less flavorful. Lime wedges can be used as a flavor enhancing garnish in cold drinks and with entrees, while the juice works wonders as a key ingredient in marinades, sauces, guacamole, and salad dressing. Lime zest adds a more intense burst of flavor to seafood, chicken and desserts.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh limes sharp knife juicer toothpicks stainless steel grater

Instructions

How to Use Limes

1. Extract lime juice by allowing the lime to warm to room temperature first. That will produce up to a third more usable juice than squeezing a lime taken straight form the refrigerator. Use a toothpick or bamboo skewer to poke holes in the flesh of the lime before squeezing if a juice extractor is unavailable.

2. Grate lime zest by hand, taking care to grate only the bright green portion of the rind. The white pith underneath is very bitter and should be discarded.

3. Sprinkle lime zest on grilled fish and chicken, on salads, fresh salsa, and on desserts such as Key Lime pie.

4. Cut limes into wedges for a garnish cold drinks such as margaritas, to add to gin and tonics, and for an accompaniment to entrees.

5. Squeeze wedges of lime over fish, chicken and shellfish as an intriguing alternative to lemon wedges.

6. Rub lime juice on the skin as a topical agent to ease the sting of bug bites.

Tips & Warnings

• Limes stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator will stay fresh for up to six weeks.

• Avoid getting lime juice into your eyes or an open cut, as the high acidity will burn.