I was watching “Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello,” and he was using roasted lemon juice in a vinaigrette. So I decide, hey! why don’t I try it out, it looks really good! So I took 3 lemons, cut them in half, and put them under a LOW broil, bottom shelf of the oven, for about 15 minutes till the edges and flesh got slightly caramelized.
The taste changes completely. It becomes slightly more sour, and a little bitter from the pith. But WOW is that a delicious difference. It adds nice contrast to Cilantro or Sweet Basil in a salad or vinaigrette, or as Michael Chiarello was using it to marinate Ahi Tuna.
Don’t bake them for too long or they will become too bitter. They plump up when you take them out of the oven, and then deflate when cooled. they release a lot more juice and the flesh is delicious to eat. I used it to liven up a chimichurri and a home made hummus and boy did that make a huge difference. Try it out! you could also use the juice to make a lemonade or other drinks.
