When summer gives you citrus, make pie

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When summer gives you citrus, make pie

There is citrus in the air this summer. Not literally, of course, since we live in zone four growing conditions, but figuratively, there is definitely citrus in the air.

People are puckering over sour lemon wedges squeezed over their plank-grilled trout. Sweet pulpy orange juice is added to pans of sizzling chicken. Fat cross-sections of lime, undulating green and white, are suspended in sugar water in ice-fogged glass pitchers. Sugared curls of candied grapefruit zest are eaten straight up. Orange zest is being tossed haphazardly over orange chiffon cake and drizzled with powdered sugar glaze. Citrus seems to be in the collective conscience.

Not counting the 29 lemonade stands that popped up in our neighborhood since the end of the school year, I know three people who have been talking to the citrus muse. Number one is Staci, my sister-in-law and talented home cook. She sent me a recipe for key lime bars she made for a Sunday afternoon treat. These bars are the adorable child of lemon bars and key lime pie. Number two is my friend Gay whose delectable orange blondies I tried at a potluck — they were rich, satisfying and bright. And finally number three is my son Gabe, who recently became obsessed with the above-mentioned orange chiffon cake — actually entitled “Big Bird’s Orange Chiffon Cake” from a “B is for Baking” cookbook we got at the library. He pestered me like only a 9-year-old can until we could give the recipe a test run.

Some irresistible force also drew me to revisit a recipe for lemon meringue pie that I’ve long adored. It is adapted from the book “Great Pies and Tarts” by Carole Walter. Outside some good, tart lemonade, there is no better citrus fix than lemon meringue pie. Here it is:

Lemon Meringue Pie

• One nine-inch pie crust, baked.

It cracks me up when recipes start out like this — as if a homemade pie crust were so easy, it hardly warrants a mention. Mind you, I am a huge advocate of homemade crusts, made with butter. They are much tastier, flaky and full of flavor. That said, I know how maddening it can be after 45 minutes of work and a kitchen counter covered in flour, when you only end up with a mediocre crust. If necessary for your psychological well-being, buy one. If you are feeling adventurous, break out the rolling pin.

• Three ginger snaps, finely crushed

These are certainly optional, but if you want to make the pie special, use them. Ginger and lemon are a great flavor combination.

Filling

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

• 6 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 cups cold water

• 5 large egg yolks (Don’t panic, we use the whites below.)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

When I use bottled lemon juice, I generally double the lemon juice and compensate with another tablespoon or two or cornstarch, since I like my slice of pie pucker-worthy. If you are using fresh lemons, you get that citrus kick with less juice.

Meringue

• 7 tablespoons sugar, superfine if you have it

• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

• pinch of salt

• 5 large egg whites at room temperature

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

I’ll bet you didn’t know that cream of tartar is a byproduct of wine-making. I looked it up one time, because I wondered where tartars were grown and how to cream them. Cream of tartar is slightly acidic, and is an ingredient in baking powder. It stabilizes the proteins in the egg whites so they don’t “weep.”

Combine the 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, corn-starch and salt in a pot. Stir in the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it boils. Reduce the heat and cook for one minute longer, stirring. Turn off the heat.

Lightly beat the egg yolks in a small bowl. Stir a small amount of the hot stuff into the egg yolks to temper them so you don’t get scrambled egg pie. Gently stir the yolk mixture into the pot. Cook over low heat until is comes to a slow boil. Cook and stir for one minute more. Turn off the heat and add the butter, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

And now for the meringue. Mix the other sugars (superfine and powdered) in a small bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat the heck out of them until they form firm peaks. The recipe says not to let them get dry. I’m not sure what this means, honestly, but don’t let it happen.

Add the sugar mixture as you beat, one tablespoon at a time. Add the vanilla and beat until thick and glossy … about 30 seconds more.

When I first made this recipe I was living in a trailer at a national park. There were minimal kitchen gadgets within a 100-mile radius. An electric mixer was not to be had. I beat the egg whites old-school, by hand, with a whisk. It was surprisingly hard, sweaty work. I have great gratitude for the inventor of the electric mixer. Thanks, buddy.

Sprinkle the ginger snap crumbs over the baked crust. Pour the warm filling into the pie shell (briefly rewarm it if necessary). With a spoon, drop mounds of the meringue in rings around the edge of the filling, then fill in the center. Spread the meringue to cover the filling completely, and make sure it touches the crust all the way around the side (this will prevent it from shrinking away and leaving big, naked, yellow holes after it cools). I like to make lots of peaks and valleys, so the peaks get toasty brown in the oven, just because it looks cool.

Bake the pie for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Cool and serve.

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