A grilled lemon half with roast chicken. Photo courtesy The Fillmore Room | NYC.

One thing we’ve been noticing at restaurants: grilled lemons. Instead of a plain lemon half to squeeze over food, the lemon comes nicely charred.

Why? In addition to eye appeal, the heat from grilling or pan-charring a sliced lemon helps soften the juice sacs. The result: more juice spritzing onto your food.

A grilled lemon also provides a bit of charred flavor. If you use a Meyer lemon, which is higher in sugar content, the cut surface will actually lightly caramelize. This makes its juice taste even sweeter.

Grilled lemons are particularly tasty alongside other grilled or roasted foods—chicken, salmon or other fish and seafood, and vegetables.

If you want a noticeable olive oil flavor on the lemon, use a strong olive oil; otherwise, go for a neutral oil like canola or grapeseed.

Ingredients

 
Preparation
1. HEAT a grill or frying pan over medium-high heat. Brush the cut sides of the lemon with oil and sprinkle with salt.

2. PLACE the lemons cut side down on the grill/in the frying pan. Cook until the lemons are heated through and charred on the cut side, about 3 minutes.

How easy is that?