Anyone who has had the pleasure of traveling along the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy will no doubt be familiar with the sweet and tart aperitif spawned from the gigantic lemons found on that Mediterranean coast line: limoncello. On one of my regular trips to the Farmers' Market, a friend gave me one the biggest buddha's hands I've ever seen. Buddha's hand (sometimes called citron) is a variety of citrus fruit that has no pulp and is used for the zest which has flavors hinting at lemon, orange, and grapefruit all at once. I was torn over what to do with this magnificent piece of product, how to best highlight and honor the flavor. At first I thought about confitting it, then candying the peel. Finally, the memory of that Italian delight flickered back. The answer was obvious: citroncello. Below is the recipe, with the option of Meyer lemons instead of buddha's hand if you want to go the more traditional route. Bon appetito!
Makes: 1 1/2 Liters
Ingredients
Zest from 1 large Buddha's Hand (or 10 Meyer lemons)
200 grams Sugar
1 1/2 liters High-Quality Vodka
Sweetened Condensed Milk, to taste
Process
Combine the zest, sugar, and vodka and cover tightly. Let sit at room temperature for 5 days. Trust me, its worth the wait. Strain out the zest and stir in sweetened condensed milk to desired sweetness and creaminess. Store in the refrigerator. Or, if you're feeling generous, a jar of limoncello makes a great gift.
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