The zest, that is, the outer layer of the peel - usually of a lemon or orange, less often of other citrus fruits - is used quite often in cooking. Pies and desserts, fish and meat dishes, vegetables and cocktails - the taste of all this zest, when used wisely, can greatly enhance the taste and create a new dimension. But there are a couple of subtleties that are worth knowing if you are going to use the zest as a seasoning.

If you are unlucky enough to be born in a small house on the seashore with windows overlooking a lemon garden, you will not be able to grow lemons and will have to buy them. Those fruits that are sold in markets and supermarkets are treated with various substances- first with chemicals against pests, then with wax for extra shine. No, of course, if you bought super-eco-organic-ultra-biological lemons, there is hope that there were no chemicals and paraffin, otherwise all this deliciousness risks ending up on your plate. This means that the fruit needs to be washed thoroughly, ideally with a brush, and then doused with boiling water.

Secondly, when grating the zest, only the top, “colored” layer should be removed - it is this layer that contains all the aromatic substances, which are the whole point of the culinary use of the zest. But in no case do we need the white layer that is contained immediately below it: it will only add bitterness to the dish.

Finally, to grate the zest, you should select citrus fruits with thin and even skin, and grate them on a fine grater, or, if the recipe requires it, remove strips of zest with a knife or a special grater that allows you to do this. In this case, we continue to remember - we don’t need the white part of the zest!

That, in fact, is the whole trick. You already knew all this, right? In this case, I can’t help but touch on the beneficial properties of the zest. As you might guess, there is more than enough goodness in it: there are practically no fats and salts in the zest, but there is also enough vitamin B6, and most importantly, the zest is a real storehouse of vitamin C. 6 grams of lemon zest added to baked goods provides 13% of the body’s daily need for this useful vitamin.

Needless to say, zest, like citrus fruits in general, is the most important thing in winter if you don’t want to suffer from a runny nose and fever. There couldn't be a better time to try my favorite recipes using zest.

People have long used plants, certain parts of them, seeds and fruits as spices - aromatic and flavoring additives to food. The fragrant and luxurious zest of citrus fruits is an exquisite spice that brings health benefits, and how to prepare and use it is in our article. Its soft spicy taste and light aroma make any dish “play”, demonstrating the versatility of all ingredients, including the simplest ones!

The zest is the outer, uppermost shell of the fruits of citrus trees: lemon, lime, orange, orange, grapefruit and tangerine. This shell is intensely colored with pigments and covered with pores (glands) filled with essential oils. Essential oils in glandular sacs, being volatile, flavor the dish and give it a light piquant taste.

How to prepare dried zest

The peel of citrus fruits consists of two layers: the upper - pigmented and essential layer and the lower - white dense and springy subcortical layer. This white mass should not be included in the raw materials for the zest, as it is bitter and can spoil the final taste of the prepared dish.

Essential oils, which are so rich in the outer shell of citrus fruits, are found in essential oil glands that look like pores. These are the ones we must carefully remove with a knife! The thinner you cut the peel, the better the quality of the zest.

Before preparing the zest, the citrus fruit must be carefully washed with a brush, placed in a deep cup and pour boiling water over it for 1 minute. This is a necessary step in the preparation of citrus peels, since manufacturers often treat their surface with protective chemical compounds.

If the surface of the fruit looks too shiny or sticky to the touch, then most likely the products have been treated with a waxy composition, so you need to soak the fruit in boiling water before getting the zest. Next, remove the moisture with a towel and carefully cut off the top layer of peel.

To cut the top pigmented layer, you need a very sharp knife with a thin blade, with which the zest is usually removed with a thin strip. You can purchase a special peeling knife, with which the top shell is cut off in a 2 mm layer in the form of a ribbon. This cutting allows you to get a very high quality product.

Often, to obtain fresh zest shavings, a grater with sharp, medium or small sized knives is used. We do not recommend doing this, since frequent grating knives dissolve the ether-bearing glands, as a result, the esters evaporate and the smell becomes weak or disappears altogether.

We lay out the cut pigmented shell in a thin layer on a flat porcelain dish. It is advisable to cover the bottom of the dish with a sheet of white paper, and place a strip of zest on top for drying.

During the drying process, stir up the chips, turning them the other way. The finished product becomes brittle and crumbles easily between your fingers. Typically, in a kitchen, the skin completely loses moisture within 3 days. Then grind it in a mortar or crush it with a rolling pin until crumbly and put it in a glass jar with a tight lid.

How to freeze zest

Frozen zest in the juice of the citrus fruit of the same name is an impressive ingredient in sauces, gravies, and flavorings for drinks and desserts. In general, this is a universal spice in the recipes of many dishes!

We cut off the top zest layer of the citrus, place it in ice trays and fill it with the juice of the fruit that we just peeled. Let's freeze it! The spice is ready! Most often, lemon and orange zest are frozen.

The essential shell, sprinkled with sugar, is an excellent additive to tea and other drinks, to the filling of sweet pies, for flavoring desserts, casseroles, babas and puddings.

Typically, candied zest is made from orange, lemon, lime or tangerine.

Let's look at the benefits of citrus fruit zest and the specific uses of each type.

Lemon zest

This is the most used zest in cooking! Before removing the top essential layer of lemon peel, you need to try especially hard! We recommend that you do this work very carefully, because the lower subcortical layer of white color is very bitter, and if part of it gets into food, the food will taste bitter.

If you carefully and thinly cut the essential layer from the lemon peel, and chose a truly ripe lemon, then its color after drying retains its lemon-yellow color. If you have captured too much white subcortical mass, the zest will be uneven yellow in color with brown spots.

Beneficial properties of lemon zest

The benefits of lemon peel for human health are so great that it would not be wise to neglect its use in food recipes! Lemon zest is literally saturated with vitamins, mineral compounds and valuable organic acids.

100 g of essential layer contains 129 mg of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), 160 mg of potassium and 134 mg of calcium!

• The outer rind of lemon is good for our bones, saturating them with bioactive calcium! Together with vitamin C, it prevents the development of arthritis and arthrosis, joint rheumatism and osteoporosis.
• Removes toxic substances and radionuclides - due to the high content of bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids also prevent the formation and accumulation of cholesterol in blood vessels.
• Eating lemon zest will help mitigate the effects of oxidative stress, which is accompanied by metabolic disorders of oxidative reactions in the body.
• The saturation of the crust with potassium makes it an effective remedy for strengthening the cardiovascular system, as well as for normalizing blood pressure.
• Lemon zest is rich in antioxidants, as well as the substances salvestrol Q40 and limonene - protectors of cells from their degeneration into cancer.
• Eating ground dried lemon peel will keep your mouth healthy as the vitamin C in it helps with scurvy, bleeding gums and gingivitis. It can also whiten tooth enamel.

Use of lemon zest in cooking

The essential-bearing top layer of lemon does not contain citric acid, and therefore, when added to any dishes, it does not impart its acid to them, but only an easily recognizable aroma. As a rule, zest powder is added a couple of minutes before the dish is ready and left for another 3-4 minutes.

You can use this lemon product in a wide variety of dishes - from vegetables and meat - to any confectionery! In addition to cold and hot dishes, they are enriched with all kinds of drinks - with or without alcohol.

The essential flavor and aroma of the lemon shell imparts a special taste and aroma to fish and meat dishes, gravies for them, as well as jellied meats, aspic, casseroles and puddings. Soups and hodgepodges, salads and pates acquire an amazing aroma and taste if you add dried lemon peel to them.

All of the above properties and uses also apply to lime zest, only lime has a more subtle aroma, which is reflected in the aroma of its peel.

Orange zest

The juicy pulp of bitter orange is inedible due to its sour-bitter taste. Therefore, only its upper porous shell is used in cooking, which is reminiscent of lemon in aroma, and orange in properties and chemical composition.

Orange peel has a much more subtle flavor than orange or lemon peel.

Beneficial properties of orange peel

• Orange peel is very useful for decreased appetite or metabolic disorders. Ground crust in dishes will help the liver and kidneys if they are predisposed to the formation of stones, i.e. it has a diuretic and choleretic effect.
• Strengthens the immune system and demonstrates an antioxidant effect. Eliminates vitamin deficiencies, improves blood counts, treats anemia.
• Increases the elasticity and strength of connective tissues, slows down the aging of the body.
• Has an antiseptic and antimicrobial effect.
• The aroma of bitter orange is a great antidepressant! Creates a positive mood and relieves feelings of melancholy.

Use of orange peel in cooking

It is used mainly in confectionery products (baba, Easter cakes, muffins), in alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and in various desserts. As a spice with a subtle aroma - in meat and fish gravies, in fillings for poultry and fish.

Crushed white foods, such as cottage cheese, yogurt, protein cream or rice, turn a juicy light yellow color.

Orange zest

Orange is a wonderful vitamin fruit. In addition to the healthy orange pulp, its zest, as a spicy additive, will significantly increase the nutritional value of the dishes to which you add it. Essential orange oil is squeezed from the top layer of the fruit peel.

We have already described above how to prepare the zest. By the way, it is easier to cut it from an orange than from a thin-skinned orange or lemon, since the subcortical layer is not as bitter and tart as theirs.

Before removing the zest layer from the orange, the fruit must be carefully washed with a brush and soaked in hot water for a minute. This technique will help get rid of possible chemicals on the surface of the peel. If you do not do this, the prepared product may be harmful to your health.

After drying the cut peel, pour it into a dry jar and store it under a lid in a dark place.

The essential layer of orange peel is the most useful part of the fruit! If the benefits are so great, then why do we so habitually throw away the peels? We hope that after our information you will not throw away what will help improve the quality of your life.

• Just like the peel of a lemon, the outer layer of an orange contains a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in pectin and rich in essential oil, which has impressive medicinal qualities. It is obtained by cold pressing or distillation.
• Pectins and fiber have a beneficial and gentle effect on the intestines and improve all processes occurring in the gastrointestinal tract. The beneficial substances in orange peel improve motor function and prevent the development of putrefactive bacteria in it. They also promote satiety and relieve hunger, harmonize metabolism.
• Dried and fresh outer skins of oranges reduce blood cholesterol levels and increase immunity (due to vitamins C and group B). Mineral salts of phosphorus and calcium strengthen bones and restore health to joints.
• Essential oils, organic acids and pectins normalize the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, cleansing and improving their elasticity.
• The crusts help the liver cope with the load because they have a choleretic effect.

Use of orange peel in cooking

Orange peel actually retains its orange color when dried, giving a slight white tint to foods. It is used in the formulation of exclusively confectionery products and desserts, as well as in the production of alcoholic and other drinks.

But there are no restrictions for experimenters! Try including it in both fish and meat dishes. It turns out very spicy!

The peel of tangerines is used very rarely for zesting, due to its thinness and the difficulty of removing it from the subcortical layer. When dried, it does not lose its tangerine aroma.

Beneficial properties of tangerine peel

What are the benefits of tangerine zest? Its medicinal properties are slightly different from those of other citrus fruits, although they partially repeat them. But there are also features:

• The top layer of tangerine peel (its infusion) has high expectorant properties and is often used in the treatment of bronchitis to liquefy secretions. Tangerine zest powder is used in folk medicine as an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agent.
• It is a reliable astringent for diarrhea.
• Demonstrates a calming effect, stabilizes mood, and is useful for depression.

Use of tangerine peel in cooking

Powder from dried tangerine peel is used to flavor baked goods, confectionery, creams, ice cream and other desserts. Tangerine zest has a very delicate and refined aroma.

It is also used as a light spice in sauces and gravies for fish, meat and vegetables, and added to pies fillings.

Grapefruit zest

Grapefruit is a hybrid fruit resulting from natural cross-pollination. But this does not make it any less useful than other types of citrus fruits, but even vice versa! The hybrid of lemon and orange amazes with the richness of its chemical composition and medicinal properties.

Removing the zest from grapefruit is very easy! It is not necessary to cut it thinly, because the subcortical white layer is not bitter, but has a rather pleasant taste. The topmost shell has a very multifaceted and strong bouquet of aromas and perfectly emphasizes the taste of dishes to which it is added as a mild spice.

Beneficial properties of grapefruit zest

All parts of grapefruit are extremely beneficial! But the outer layer of the peel has its own secrets!

• The brewed crust of the fruit helps reduce blood sugar and improves well-being in diabetes mellitus.
• Relieves heartburn, helps with stomach and liver diseases.
• Grapefruit peel, both as an independent dessert and as a spice, has a beneficial effect on metabolism, most often speeding it up and normalizing it. Therefore, all parts of the fruit are used in many well-known diets for weight loss.
• Massage with dried and powdered top grapefruit peel helps get rid of cellulite.

Use of grapefruit zest in cooking

The top layer of the peel is used in confectionery and baked goods, for the production of alcoholic tinctures and soft drinks. Also, the delicious aroma of the essential grapefruit peel improves desserts and fruit salads.

Citrus zest is an amazing spice that simply must be in your pantry! Once you taste its aroma and mild taste, you will add it to almost all dishes!

This is a mild spice with a weak taste, so it can be included in the recipe in large quantities - compared to the use of other spices. The measure is the taste of the dish - the appearance of a slight bitterness indicates that the volume of spice is sufficient.

Most often, housewives throw away orange zest; they can sometimes use it to make candied fruits. But this is a thoughtless waste of a valuable ingredient that will help solve a lot of everyday problems.

The peel contains fiber, which increases performance, lowers cholesterol, and reduces the likelihood of gallstones. Another benefit of orange zest is its ability to fight colds, this feature is given to it by the vitamin C it contains. In addition, it contains vitamin A, which is responsible for the appearance of the skin, healing damage to the dermis, and neutralizing toxic compounds.

For overweight people, the product is optimal for regular use. The benefit of orange zest for them is the absence of calories and fat. In addition, the peel does not contain sugar and sodium, but is rich in pectin, which restores the intestinal microflora and prevents pathogenic formations.

Zest is popularly considered a product that heals the heart; this opinion has good reason. The benefits of orange zest depend on the flavonoids it contains, which neutralize excess cholesterol, stimulate cardiac activity, in addition, the substances have anti-inflammatory properties.

The disadvantages of the peel are mainly determined by its bitter taste. It is recommended to add it to baked goods in limited quantities. Orange zest can also be harmful if a person is allergic to citrus fruits. Its use may cause irritation and rashes on the skin.

Doctors note that orange peel is harmful for people with high acidity and low blood pressure. Patients with stomach ulcers and other esophageal disorders should absolutely not eat dishes with added peel.

It is worth limiting the consumption of treats to patients with duodenal dysfunction. In addition, there is harm to orange peel for people with intestinal disorders, on the mucous membrane of which the product has an irritating effect.

The benefits and harms of orange zest, according to experts, are in no way inferior to the pulp of the fruit itself. Simply soaking the peel in water helps to easily replenish calcium and vitamin C deficiency. This means adding it to dishes helps boost immunity and helps maintain bone tissue in normal condition.

1. Cooking with zest

There are many recipes that call for citrus zest. Orange peel contains so many aromatic substances that it can and should be added to a variety of dishes - from sauces to sweets. It goes well with both meat and fish.

2. Remove the zest

When preparing a variety of homemade cleaning products based on vinegar, you should first infuse it with orange zest. Then it will lose its strong vinegar aroma.

3. Refresh with zest

No store-bought fragrances or air fresheners are needed. All you have to do is boil water, add orange zest, cinnamon and cloves, and the house will be filled with pleasant aromas. In addition, this method of refreshing the house also helps to increase the humidity in it, which is especially important in winter.

4. We drive away cats

If you need to discourage a cat, for example, from your favorite indoor flower, you need to put an orange peel around the pot. Cats cannot be called big fans of citrus scents.

5. Bringing beauty

If you grate an orange peel and add it to a body scrub mixture, you will get an amazing aromatic cosmetic product that cannot be compared to any store-bought product.

6. Make a fire

Orange peel is incredibly flammable, making it great for starting a fire.

7. Scent the trash can

If you throw orange peels at the bottom of the trash can, even it will have a pleasant aroma.

8. Repelling insects

Orange peel can repel insects. Firstly, it will help drive away house ants if you place it in places where insects accumulate. And secondly, you can get rid of mosquitoes by rubbing your skin with orange peels.

Recipes with orange zest

1. Petit fours with orange zest

Pour 100 g of flour, a pinch of salt into a clay dish, add 2 eggs, a glass of cream skimmed from boiled milk, 2 tbsp. spoons of sugar and grated orange zest from 2 oranges. At the end, add 2 egg whites, whipped into a strong foam, and knead the dough. Cover the dough with a napkin, leave it for 10 minutes, then place it in small molds and place in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes. When the petit fours have cooled, sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

2. Nougat with orange peels

In a bowl, put 100 g of crushed almonds, hazelnuts or peanuts, the peel of 2 oranges, cut into small cubes, 150 g of sugar, 100 g of honey and a full spoon of water. Place the dish on the fire and cook the mixture, stirring continuously, until a thick mass is obtained. After this, place the mass in an even layer on a greased board or shallow plate, cool and cut into square pieces with a sharp knife moistened with water.

3. Recipe for cookies with orange zest

Knead the dough from 200 g of flour, 2 eggs, 1-2 tablespoons of water, a pinch of salt and grated zest from 2 oranges. Roll out the dough into a layer about 0.5 cm thick, cut out cookies of different shapes and fry in boiling oil until golden brown. Sprinkle the finished cookies with powdered sugar.

4. Candies with zest

Pour 150 g of sugar into a saucepan, add a spoonful of water, grated zest from 1 orange, place the saucepan on the fire and bring the mixture to a boil. Place the resulting caramel mass in an even layer on a greased board or shallow plate and, without allowing it to cool completely, cut it into small candy pieces with a sharp knife dipped in water.

5. Orange milk - recipe

Place half the peel from one orange in a saucepan, pour in 1/2 liter of boiling milk and leave on the edge of the stove for about 10 minutes. Then strain the milk, add sugar to taste and drink hot. It is recommended to drink orange milk when you have a cold.

6. Orange peel decoction

Pour a glass of boiling water over the peel removed from one orange, cover the dish with a tight lid and leave for 10 minutes. Then strain, sweeten and drink instead of tea. When preparing a decoction of medicinal herbs, also add a few orange peels. The broth will turn out tastier and more enjoyable.

7. Orange syrup

Cut the peel from 3 oranges into a porcelain bowl, add 500 g of sugar and leave for two days. Then pour a liter of water, put it on the fire, let the zaki sing, strain and bottle it.

* If you add a little cognac to the syrup, you will get a pleasant-tasting “single-alcohol” drink. You will have the same tasty drink if you add a full spoon of orange juice to a glass of red wine.

Do you like oranges? Then you should know that, in addition to the fruits themselves, their peel is no less useful). This product is used in various fields. Fragrant crusts are used in cosmetology, medicine and cooking. In this article we will talk about how to create delicious and very healthy dishes from orange peel.

Useful properties of the product

The benefits of orange peels have been well studied since ancient times. The zest contains phytoncides that were used to treat wounds. Nowadays it is known that eating this product has a beneficial effect on the condition of the entire body. Orange peels normalize cholesterol levels in the blood, relieve swelling, heal the heart and blood vessels, eliminate and alleviate women's condition during painful periods. All this happens because the zest contains a lot of useful substances: calcium, phosphorus, vitamins C, A, P, B1, B2 and beta-keratins.

Orange varieties

Korok is passed down by many housewives from generation to generation. The main secret to preparing the dish is choosing the right fruits. Only thick-skinned oranges are suitable for jam, since they contain a large amount of zest. You can use Italian kings - a variety that is medium in size and has a reddish skin. Unfortunately, these fruits are not very popular in our country. Jaffa oranges are also praised. However, they are grown only in Palestine and Israel; they are quite difficult to find in Russia. For lack of a better one, you can choose other thick-skinned oranges. Delicious recipes with photos will help you make aromatic jam from them.

Orange zest jam. Ingredients

Cooking this delicacy is very simple. To prepare it you only need three ingredients:

• granulated sugar - 1 kilogram;
• orange peels - 1 kilogram;
• citric acid (to taste).

Making orange zest jam

1. First you need to collect the accumulated orange peels. Every diligent housewife can easily find use for this product in the kitchen.
2. Then the crusts must be placed in a large container, filled with water and put on fire.
3. Next, you need to bring the product to a boil, let it cook for ten to fifteen minutes and drain the water. This procedure should be repeated three more times to get rid of the bitterness in the orange peels.
4. Now the zest needs to be cooled and weighed. The fact is that the amount of sugar that needs to be put in the jam depends on the weight of the orange peels. Usually products are taken in a 1:1 ratio.
5. After this, the crusts should be scrolled through a meat grinder, add sugar to the resulting mass and cook for about forty minutes. At the end of cooking, you can add citric acid.
6. Next, you need to put the finished treat into sterile jars and roll up the lids.

This recipe uses only sugar and orange peels. The use of this product in cooking is almost always associated with the preparation of desserts. You can make wonderful candied fruits from orange zest. Moreover, the composition of the necessary products will be the same as when making jam. The recipe for creating candied fruits will be outlined below.

Ingredients for making candied fruits

In order to please ourselves and our loved ones with this delicacy, we will need:

• citric acid - 2-3 grams;
• orange zest - 1 kilogram;
• water - 450 milliliters;
• sugar (for syrup) - 1.8 kilograms;
• sugar (for decoration) - 1.5 cups.

Candied fruit. Cooking method

1. First of all, you need to remove the bitterness from fresh orange peels. To do this, they need to be kept in cold water for four days. In this case, the liquid needs to be changed two to three times a day.
2. Then the orange peels must be cooked over moderate heat for ten to fifteen minutes. After this, they need to be thrown into a colander, slightly dried and cut into neat slices.
3. Next, place the orange peels in an enamel basin or other large container.
4. After this, you need to prepare the syrup. To do this, place sugar in water and cook until completely dissolved. Then the syrup should be filtered and poured over the orange peels.
5. Now you can prepare the candied orange peel. The recipe says that they need to be cooked in three stages. The first two should last ten minutes. In this case, the crusts should be kept on low heat until boiling, then soaked in syrup for ten hours.
6. At the very end of the third cooking, you need to add citric acid to the candied fruits and boil them to the desired thickness. The process will take approximately 20-25 minutes.
7. Now you need to drain the orange peels, boiled until fully cooked, in a colander. They will not be used soon: first you need to let the candied fruits stand for one hour until the syrup completely drains, and then dry them for a day at room temperature.
8. After this, the crusts should be rolled in sugar and kept in the open air for another day.

Candied fruits are ready! They should be stored at room temperature in a closed container. The process of creating this dessert is quite labor-intensive. However, it is better to make candied fruits at home than to buy them in the store. Delicious recipes with photos will help even a novice cook quickly master the cooking process.

Preparing the tincture

To create this alcoholic drink you need the following products:

• water - 350 milliliters;
• vodka - 0.5 liters;
• sugar - 120 grams;
• zest of one orange.

Tincture. Cooking process

1. First you need to mix water and sugar and cook the syrup over low heat for ten minutes. After this, the product should be cooled. You should get approximately 250-300 grams of viscous liquid.
2. Next, you need to thoroughly rinse the orange peels. The use of zest can be found quite quickly, but it must be remembered that manufacturers often apply a special preservative to its surface that enhances the fruit. You can get rid of this substance by rinsing the crusts under hot running water.
3. Now you should mix sugar syrup and vodka and pour the resulting mixture into a container with peel.
4. After this, the jar should be closed with a lid and placed in a warm place for about five days. First, the zest will gather at the top, just under the neck of the jar. Then, after a couple of days, it will swell and begin to gradually sink to the bottom, and the liquid in the container will turn yellow.
5. After the specified period, the jar must be opened, the vodka strained and bottled for long-term storage.
6. Now the aromatic orange peel tincture is ready. It should have a strength of 27-32 degrees with a characteristic fruity smell and taste. The shelf life of the drink in a basement is 12-15 months.

As you can see, under no circumstances should you throw away orange peels. There will always be a use for them. By spending a little time, you can create real culinary masterpieces from orange peel that will be appreciated by all members of your family. Bon appetit!